Trademark use – legal support

Karolinska Institutet has different classes of registered trademark, which means that KI retains relative sole rights in the classes registered.

Karolinska Institutet - a registered trademark

Karolinska Institutet is a registered trademark. Other than in exceptional cases, the university controls who professionally may use the trademark (name and logo) and how. No one outside KI is entitled to use KI’s name or logo in the registered classes for their goods or services or in their marketing without KI’s approval. Anyone who does is possibly guilty of trademark infringement. Examples of such infringement are when a researcher claims on false grounds to belong to KI in a professional capacity, or a company that wrongly declares that its products have been tested at KI.

If the brand is used incorrectly

When you discover something that you suspect is wrong related to the use of KI:s trademark, you should primarily contact your immediate manager and/or head of department and investigate what is regulated in any agreements. Many questions about how KI:s name and logo may be used are also regulated in KI:s guidelines on the brand. You can also consult the department communicator on issues related to trademark and graphic profile.

Examples of questions:

• When KI:s name and/or logo are used in contexts where KI:s role is unclear
• When there is a desire to create new logos or profiling of, for example, centre formation / collaboration.

Reporting suspected brand infringement

If an external party wrongly uses the KI brand and if you suspect trademark infringement, it must be reported through KI’s incident reporting system.

Questions about the brand – contacts  

The brand is a shared responsibility and involves many organisational units. Support is available from, amongst others:

• Contact the Legal Office for support on agreements and brand law, such as licence agreements related to the brand.
• Contact the Communication and Public Relations Office for advice and operational support on brand issues related to brand protection, graphic profile, etc.