Copyright

AUS faculty, students, and staff are expected to comply liwith UAE copyright law and with the terms of the Emirates Reprographic Rights Association (ERRA) license. The information on these pages provides general guidance, but is not legal advice.

What is Copyright? 

Copyright is a form of legal protection that covers both published and unpublished works such as books, sound or video recordings, art works, photographs and other printed or digital material. The copyright owner of a work could be the author, the publisher or any other person or entity having legal ownership. In most cases, permission must be obtained from the current copyright owner in order to use any of these works.

Jurisdiction

Here at AUS we consider UAE copyright law. 

Your Responsibilities 

Although AUS provides advice and support, the ultimate responsibility for respecting copyright lies with you, the individual copying or distributing the material.

Penalties 

Under UAE law, infringement of rightsholders’ economic or moral rights “gives rise to criminal liability and provides for imprisonment and penalties ranging from AED 10,000 to AED 1,000,000. Criminal liability even extends to those who alter digital rights management information or who deal in devices intended to circumvent technological protection measures.” (Source: The Emirates Reprographic Rights Management Association, Copyright Guide, 2025. Reproduced with permission)

Library Support and Services

We can help with: 

• Understanding copyright laws
• Using copyrighted materials in teaching and research
• Arranging case studies and coursepacks
• Obtaining permissions if needed 

Contact us at copyright@aus.edu.

The American University of Sharjah signed a license with the Emirates Reprographic Rights Association (ERRA) on November 16, 2025. The license allows AUS members to make limited copies of copyrighted works for educational use. The license applies to written, literary works only; audiovisual works are not covered. Within the limits below, you may photocopy, scan, share on closed Learning Management Systems like iLearn, or distribute copies in class. 

You may copy:

• In the case of a book, one complete book chapter
• In the case of a journal or periodical, one article in any one issue
• In the case of a short story or poem not more than 10 pages in length, the whole story or poem
• In other cases, up to 15% of a work 

Conditions

For all copied materials: 

• Include a copyright notice
• Include proper attribution (full citation and author)
• Copies must be for educational use
• Scanning and digital posting must stay within the limits above 

Important 

If a work is available through AUS Library e-resources or on the open web: 

• Do not upload the PDF
• Provide a link instead 

This ensures compliance with licenses and avoids unnecessary infringement risk.

Please include this cover page on any materials uploaded to iLearn or distributed in class:

 AUS ERRA Copyright Notice.pdf

UAE copyright protections are based on Federal Decree-Law No. 38 (2021) 

Article 22 of this law lists the limitations and exceptions of copyright law. These are cases where people may use copyrighted works without needing permissions. These include: 

• You can make one personal, non-commercial copy of a work, except for:
  • Fine and applied arts unless publicly displayed with permission.
  • Architecture permanently located in public places.
  • Software, applications, and databases (except as stated below).
• Software, applications, and databases can be copied by the rightful owner for personal use, within license limits, or for backup if the original is lost or unusable. Any backup must be deleted if ownership ends.
• Short quotes, excerpts, or analyses can be used for criticism, discussion, or information, as long as the author and source are credited.
• Performing a work is allowed in family gatherings or educational settings if no fees are charged.
• Public art (fine, applied, plastic, or architectural) can be shown in broadcasts if it is permanently in a public place. 

The UAE does not provide broad educational exceptions such as U.S. “Fair Use.” Any reproduction for educational materials requires a license unless it falls under one of the specific exceptions or ERRA license limits. 

International Copyright 

“The UAE is a signatory to various international copyright agreements and treaties such as the Berne Convention and WIPO Copyright Treaty. International copyright protection is established based on the principle of 'national treatment' outlined in such conventions. This means that each member country grants the same rights to nationals from other member countries as it provides to its own citizens under its domestic laws. So, when an original work is created in the UAE, it is protected by the local laws of the UAE and automatically enjoys copyright protection in other participating countries, such as the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Australia. Likewise, works originating from and/or first published in those countries are also protected in the UAE as per the local laws of the UAE. 

The UAE copyright law has many similarities with the copyright laws in other nations. The international treaties and agreements set minimum standards of protection that participating countries must follow. However, there can be notable differences, especially regarding copyright duration, ownership, and exceptions to infringement. To understand the copyright protection offered in a specific country, it is important to examine that country's copyright laws. Therefore, any use of copyrighted materials in the UAE, including foreign materials, is subject to the local laws of the UAE.” 

(Source: The Emirates Reprographic Rights Management Association, Copyright Guide, 2025. Reproduced with permission)

You may show films, videos, or DVDs in class when:

• The teaching activities are conducted by a non-profit education institution, like AUS.
• The showing is in connection with face-to-face teaching activities.
• The person responsible for the performance has no reason to believe that the videotape was unlawfully made.
• It occurs in a classroom or similar place devoted to instruction. 

Streaming and Online Use 

• Videos on iLearn must be streamed, not downloadable.
• Streaming Video Reserves – AUS Library offers a service for Faculty to encode material to digital format for use in iLearn.
• AUS holds licenses to video databases that support classroom use. Check our Database page and filter to Type: Multimedia. 

Commercial Streaming Platforms 

• Netflix permits one-time educational screenings provided the film is a Netflix Original. To find out which titles are available for educational screenings, check that the item is listed as “Global Original” at the Netflix Media Center. AUS Library cannot provide Netflix access; faculty need to use their own Netflix accounts.
• Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Apple TV+, OSN+ do not include provisions for educational screenings of their videos.
• YouTube and other online videos must be checked individually for rights information. Many videos have usage restrictions or they were posted without the permission of the actual copyright owner, and therefore cannot be used without obtaining special permission. 

Ask the Library 

• Email copyright@aus.edu if you have any questions
• Request a video to stream by completing the Streaming Video Reserves form
• Refer to https://libguides.ala.org/copyright/video for more information on Classroom use of videos.

Best Practice: Always Link

You may post links to: 

• AUS Library e-books, articles, and other e-resources
• Open access materials
• Freely available online resources 

This ensures compliance with licenses and avoids unnecessary infringement risk. 

Posting PDFs or Scans 

If you want to upload a document (scan, excerpt, or downloaded article): 

1. Check if AUS has online access. If so, provide a link instead of uploading the file.
2. Check whether the excerpt falls within the ERRA limits. If it does, you may upload it with the required copyright notice and full attribution.
3. If the excerpt exceeds the ERRA limits, if linking to an e-resource is not appropriate for your course, or if you are unsure how to proceed, please email copyright@aus.edu. The copyright team will advise you on the best course of action.