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FOR RESEARCHERS – Confidentiality Agreement Information

NDA FAQs

A company may ask you to sign a confidentiality agreement (often called a CDA or NDA).  If the confidentiality agreement is related to your work at Stanford, ICO will review it as a courtesy for compliance with University research policies.  If you understand the terms and are comfortable complying with them, you may sign on your own behalf.  Stanford generally does not sign confidentiality agreements, as the University has an open environment and is not set up to maintain confidentiality.  Please note that individual researchers do not have the authority to sign on behalf of the University or their department.  For more information, see the University’s Research Policy Handbook.

The NDAs below may be used without review by ICO, if the company agrees to use them. 

• NDA for sharing your information with a company

• NDA for receiving information from a company

• Mutual NDA with commentary

For confidentiality agreements that are unrelated to your work at Stanford, please seek legal advice.