Statutory and Voluntary Licences for Educational Institutions

Educational institutions have rights to use various copyright materials within the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968 through statutory and voluntary licences.

Statutory licences
A statutory licence under the Copyright Act 1968 for educational institutions aims to balance the copying needs of educational institutions with the rights of creators and creative industries to make a return on their endeavour.

The statutory licence allows educational institutions to make single or multiple copies of copyright works for educational purposes. There are limits to the extent of copying permitted under licence. A licence fee is payable to the relevant collection society, and an agreement is made on how particular aspects of the statutory licence will operate. The
Print Music (Voluntary Licence) negotiated with AMCOS is an example of a useful voluntary licence agreement that benefits schools and also AMCOS” members.

Voluntary licences
A voluntary licence is an agreement freely entered into by a collecting society and educational organizations to facilitate the licensing and use of materials in an educational context. The <a href=“?”>Hardcopy Licence</a> is an example of a statutory licence, designated under Part VB of the Copyright Act,1968.

Licence arrangements
Schools are currently operating under six copyright licences that provide certain copying rights in the areas detailed in the following table. All government and Catholic schools are covered by the six licences arrangements. Independent schools licence arrangements will vary—all will be covered by the CAL licence, and mostly all will have the other licence agreements. It is suggested that independent schools check with their bursar or whoever decides these issues within the school. If no one is aware of the current licence arrangements check with the relevant collecting society or the Association of Independent Schools in your state.

Copyright Material	Licence Coverage	Managing Agency
Published Works (Part VB Statutory Licence)	The Hardcopy licence allows educational institutions to reproduce text, images and notated music for educational purposes from a hardcopy.	Copyright Agency Limited (CAL)
Digital Works (Part VB Statutory Licence)	The Electronic Reproduction and Communication Licence allows an educational institution to reproduce electronic text, images and notated music and also allows it to communicate such material.	Copyright Agency Limited (CAL)
Print Music (Voluntary Licence)	This licence allows schools to copy a whole piece of sheet music (15 copies for Secondary Schools and 30 copies for primary schools) from one original.	Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners” Society (AMCOS)
Broadcast (Radio, Television, Satellite, Cable) (Part VA Statutory Licence)	This licence allows schools to copy free to air television, pay television such as cable, satellite television, digital television and to communicate the work electronically such as by email or on-line as well as by VCR.	Screenrights
Performance (Voluntary Licence)	This licence allows schools to put on public performances other than grand right works such as Cats or Mamma mia.	Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA)
Sound Recordings of Music (Voluntary Licence)	This allows schools to copy sound recordings on record, CD, tape but not digitally as yet. It also allows schools to tape or video school concerts.	The Australian Record Industry Association (ARIA) and Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS)