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Business Name Registration Procedure

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Section 1 - Preamble

(1) This Procedure is effective from 15 February 2024.

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Section 2 - Purpose

(2) This Procedure documents the requirements for registering University-owned business names.

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Section 3 - Scope

(3) This Procedure applies to the registration of business names by or on behalf of the University. Company registrations are governed by the Commercial Activities and Entities Policy.

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Section 4 - Policy

(4) This Procedure is pursuant to the University-owned Business and Domain Names policy.

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Section 5 - Procedure

(5) The General Counsel will be the Vice-Chancellor's delegate in granting or refusing permission to register a business name.

(6) Proposals to register a business name must be submitted to the Office of General Counsel (deakinlegal@deakin.edu.au) and include:

  1. the reasons why the registration is sought;
  2. the proposed activities to be conducted under the business name; and
  3. confirmation that the business name is sufficiently distinctive and not substantially similar to any existing business name including, without limitation, any existing business already registered by another University or tertiary institution in Australia or overseas.

(7) The Office of General Counsel will consider the proposal and may:

  1. approve the registration of a business name where they are satisfied that the proposed activities are consistent with the University’s objectives set out in the Deakin University Act 2009 (Vic), and are compatible with the University’s values and commitments;
  2. reject the proposal; or
  3. seek further information on the proposal from the proposer prior to determining whether to approve or reject the proposal.

(8) The Office of General Counsel will advise the proposer of the outcome of the decision and, where the registration has been approved, register the business name on behalf of the University with the relevant government authority.

(9) The Office of General Counsel may take steps to cancel or not renew a registration where they are satisfied that activities:

  1. are no longer conducted by the University under the business name; or
  2. conducted under the auspices of the business name no longer align with the University’s objectives as set out in the Deakin University Act 2009 (Vic) or the University’s values and core commitments.

(10) The Office of General Counsel will maintain a register of all business names registered in the name of the University, including when registration expires.

(11) The Office of General Counsel will renew business names before their expiry date.

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Section 6 - Definitions

(12) There are no definitions arising under this Procedure.