32. Research grants and contracts
32.1. Research can be defined as original investigation, undertaken to gain new knowledge and understanding, which may be directed towards a specific aim or objective. It can use existing knowledge in experimental development to produce new or substantially improved materials, devices, products and processes including design and construction. It excludes routine testing and analysis of materials, components and processes.
32.2. The term ‘research grant’ is restricted to research projects funded by the UK research councils, charities and the higher education funding bodies.
32.3. All other externally financed research projects are classified as ‘research contracts’.
32.4. Where approaches are to be made to outside bodies for support for research projects or where contracts are to be undertaken on behalf of such bodies, it is the responsibility of the College Dean to ensure that the financial implications have been appraised by the Director of Finance. This will include obtaining a set of grant terms and conditions from each organisation providing funding to enable appropriate monitoring of compliance.
32.5. The Director of Finance is responsible for examining every formal application for grant and shall ensure that there is adequate provision of resources to meet all commitments. The Director of Finance should ensure that the full cost of research contracts is established. The research agreement must be in line with the University’s policy with regard to indirect costs and other expenses and taking account of different procedures for the pricing of research projects depending on the nature of the funding body.
32.6. Research grants and contracts shall be accepted on behalf of the University by the Registrar and Deputy Chief Executive or by his nominees.
32.7. The Director of Finance shall maintain all financial records relating to research grants and contracts and shall initiate all claims for reimbursement from sponsoring bodies by the due date.
32.8. Each grant or contract will have a named supervisor or grant holder and will be assigned to a specific budget holder.
32.9. Control of pay and non-pay expenditure will be contained within the budget centre. The head of the budget centre may delegate day-to-day control of the account to a supervisor or grant holder, but any overspend or under-recovery of overheads is to be the clear responsibility of the budget centre with any loss being a charge on College funds.
32.10. The University has agreed to adopt the principles on costing and pricing recommended by the Joint Costing and Pricing Steering Group (JCPSG). Staff undertaking research activity will maintain the records specified by the Director of Finance to enable compilation of returns to the funding body which meet the requirements of the Transparency Review.
32.11. Full Economic Costing (fEC) overheads will be charged to research activity whether or not the funding arrangements permit full recovery.
32.12. Many grant-awarding bodies and contracting organisations stipulate conditions under which their funding is given. In addition, there are often procedures to be followed regarding the submission of interim or final reports or the provision of other relevant information. Failure to respond to these conditions often means that the University will suffer a significant financial penalty. It is the responsibility of the named supervisor or grant holder to ensure that conditions of funding are met.
32.13. Any loss to the University resulting from a failure to meet conditions of funding is the responsibility of the budget holder, and will be charged against College funds.
