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21 Apr 2015: As a follow up to the previous Bulletin on Friday 13 May which outlined changes to equipment funding, the Research Office will be giving a presentation at RGUG on Tuesday 24 May.  We are still awaiting further information from RCUK on

21 Apr 2015: Dr Ian Viney, Head of Strategic Evaluation from the MRC visited Cambridge on Wednesday 26 January to talk about the MRC's second annual output data gathering survey e-Val and how the data gathered will impact on the future availability of f

21 Apr 2015: We have now received the final report from RCUK assurance in relation to their visit in November 2012 and include their findings below. “The visit has provided Substantial Assurance (1 rated) to the Research Councils regarding the review of

21 Apr 2015: In light of the new foreign exchange policy, it has been agreed that the inflation index used within pFACT for calculating costs on applications to overseas funders will be reduced to 3.5% with effect from 1st October 2010.

4 Jun 2015: Each month X5 is updated with a default exchange rate for Euros, based on the average of the rates for the previous month. Recent substantial increases in the exchange rate between submission of the application and notification of award has resulted

21 Apr 2015: The annual MRC outputs data gathering exercise will begin on 1 October. MRC requires all researchers that have held MRC funding since 2006 to annually update and submit feedback on the results of MRC funded research. The system used for this is

21 Apr 2015: Please see information below from the National Institutes of Health regarding grant administration processes that will now take effect following news of the lapse in appropriated funds.

21 Apr 2015: After an extensive tender process CG LEES Accountants have been appointed to conduct audits on EC awards.  They have a wealth of experience with regards grant auditing and also have agreed to ensure that those doing the fieldwork will be qualified

21 Apr 2015: Following on from last year’s successful sign up to ARMA (Association of Research Managers and Administrators in the UK), the Research Office would like to invite departmental staff with a direct responsibility for research grant administration

20 Aug 2015: Some users of the Online Contracts Submission for MTAs and CDA have encountered difficulties when uploading supporting documentation. Affected users are presented with an error message regarding a file name that is too long. If you see this message

21 Apr 2015: Addgene http://www.addgene.org is a non-profit plasmid repository based in Massachusetts, USA and is dedicated to helping scientists share plasmids.  The organisation helps academic laboratories to store, archive and distribute plasmids to

16 Apr 2015: Collaborators and funders sometimes supply their own contract, which will contain those terms most beneficial to that party but may also contain terms detrimental to the researcher or omit terms that are necessary to the University.

28 May 2015: Search site. Research Operations Office. Research Operations Office Bulletin - Issue 135. Published on 28 May 2015. Each month X5 is updated with a default exchange rate for Euros, based on the average of the rates for the previous month. Recent

21 Apr 2015: Emma Carey, European Advisor for UKRO, gave two presentations on Monday 16 March about Horizon 2020 and the Marie Sklodowska- Curie Actions. A copy of her presentations are now available on our website:

21 Apr 2015: As part of a drive by RCUK to increase efficiency and effectiveness across research management, there is a need to make greater use of existing equipment and to share this between Universities wherever possible.  As of 1st May 2011, the guidelines

16 Apr 2015: Bespoke Agreements A bespoke agreement, based on one of our models where possible, is drafted and negotiated so that the research contract is tailored for a specific project. These research contracts take longer to finalise and take longer to

21 Apr 2015: During October 2010 the Research Office sent a letter to each Department regarding delegated authority.  Thank you to those who have already replied, if you are yet to do so, please return the form as soon as possible. If you have any questions,

27 Feb 2015: The ERC was known as the "Ideas" Programme under the EC's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). The ERC is the first pan-European funding agency for investigator-driven frontier research.

27 Feb 2015: The Marie Curie Actions are funded under FP7 Specific Programme 'People '. Its main objective is to strengthen the human potential in research and technology in Europe and to make Europe a more attractive place for researchers to work.

21 Apr 2015: To All pFACT UsersAs you may be aware, the University is in the process of replacing pFACT with a new costing tool called X5.

21 Apr 2015: Further to the RGUG discussions held in March and July of this year, we would like to remind all departments that interim financial reports are based on grant expenditure claims which have been made during and up to the end of the period. This means

21 Apr 2015: In order to facilitate the Equipment Sharing project currently underway, the Finance Division will be running workshops to assist departmental staff in preparing a suitable costing for shared equipment.The workshops will also provide the opportunity

21 Apr 2015: The Research Office would like to remind departments about the ‘Engineering Instrument Pool’ that is managed by the STFC Energy Research Unit on behalf of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). The Instrument Pool

21 Apr 2015: The Research Councils continue to require increased efficiency and effectiveness in the use of equipment and facilities with the expectation that there will be sharing of assets between Departments and Universities wherever possible. In order to

21 Apr 2015: As from Friday 13 May 2011, Martin Reavley stepped down as Director of the Research Office after more than two and a half years in the role. Monique Carew has been appointed Acting Director of the Office with effect from the same date and her new

16 Apr 2015: We deal with all types of research projects and differing interactions with our collaborators and funders. We have, therefore, a range of contracts to deal with specific situations. Amendment Collaboration Agreement Confidentiality Agreement (CDA/NDA

21 Apr 2015: A polite reminder that the final RCUK 2012 Workshop will be held tomorrow,  Friday, 5th October from 10-11.30am at the Clinical School Lecture Theatre 2.It is very important that you all attend – there is no need to pre-book, please just turn

21 Apr 2015: The Cambridge Research Office has been working with Symplectic Elements to develop a ROS plug-in to facilitate the up-load of publications into ROS. Despite previous assurances from RCUK that this solution was compatible with ROS, it is now clear

21 Apr 2015: The Research Office can now confirm that the pFACT upgrade will take place from Thursday 19 August to Wednesday 25 August 2010. In preparation for the upgrade, could all users perform a system tidy up by Thursday 12 August? This means projects that

15 Oct 2015: The Research Operations Office is again offering X5 training and would like to invite departmental staff, both academic and administrative, who are required to generate costings for themselves, or for their departments, to attend one of these events.

2 Oct 2015: The Research Operations Office is again offering X5 training and would like to invite departmental staff, both academic and administrative, who are required to generate costings for themselves, or for their departments, to attend one of these events.

21 Apr 2015: As you may be aware, the University will be replacing pFACT with a new costing tool called X5. When X5 goes live during Michaelmas Term 2012, some of the data within pFACT will need to be migrated into the new costing tool.

21 Apr 2015: There are now four X5 training videos live on the University streaming site. The links to these and more information can be found at http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/research/applying/x5/ Clarification: New industry templates have been set up in

27 Feb 2015: Energy. Environment (including climate change). Transport (including aeronautics). Socio-economic sciences and the humanities.

21 Apr 2015: Access to pFACT is being wound down, therefore if you have any current proposals in pFACT, these need to be submitted by 31 July. From 1August pFACT will be “read-only” which means you can view previous proposals and run reports, but any new

27 Feb 2015: The Specific Capacities Programme aims to enhance research and innovation capacities throughout Europe, and to ensure their optimal use.

21 Apr 2015: On Wednesday 28 July 2010, Dr John Williams from the Wellcome Trust delivered a presentation detailing their Strategic Plan 2010 – 2020 and the New Investigator Awards and Senior Investigator Awards. Applications for the new scheme open on 1

21 Apr 2015: There have been a number of updates since RCUK first announced their efficiency plans. Below is the latest summary relating to the Equipment initiative, in particular the 50% contribution and application process for large items. We will be providing

25 Jun 2015: The following feature among the most commonly negotiated terms Intellectual Property (IP) Publication Confidentiality Liability / indemnity Further details can be foud here about why we negotiate.

21 Apr 2015: The agenda for the above meeting, due to be held in the ATC Semniar Rooms 6a & 6b at Addenbrookes Hospital, will be as follows: Minutes of meeting of 4 June 2013 EU Horizon 2020 update HR Return to Work policy Policy update: VAT & Visitor Letter O

21 Apr 2015: New funder schemes for industrial funders are being added to X5 over the next few weeks to allow users to select schemes that will: Attract 80% fEC Replace previous templates in pFACT that were used for “New Industry Policy” with 70% and 120%

21 Apr 2015: As part of their assurance strategy, the Wellcome Trust has been conducting a number of grant reviews in relation to the financial transactions on awards.  We have been informed that all centre grants, strategic awards, investigator awards and

21 Apr 2015: RGUG is a forum led by the Research Operations Office (ROO) where research grant administration issues and developments are discussed. The next RGUG meeting will take place on Tuesday 25 March, 9:30am in Room 4, Mill Lane Lecture Rooms.

21 Apr 2015: Following the recent RGUG presentation about the above, a guidance note has been prepared and is available on the Internet:    http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/research/documents/local/applying/VAT_Exemption_for_Research_briefing_not

4 Jun 2015: 1. Open Data lunchtime session –15 June Monday 15 June, 12:30 – 13:30, Mill Lane Lecture Room 10 Most research funders (research councils, charities and foundations) have introduced policies on research data management. The general expectation

21 Apr 2015: As a move to harmonise further with other Research Councils, BBSRC will no longer require final reports. These used to be submitted by funded researchers at the end of a project. This change will be implemented from 1 October 2013. Grants ending

21 Apr 2015: The European Commission has launched a call for proposals for the European Research Council (ERC) Proof of Concept scheme.

25 Jun 2015: What is a research contract? Research contracts are legally binding agreements that govern collaborative research between the University and external organisations, whether those organisations are funding the research or are participating in the

4 Jun 2015: Research Grants User Group (RGUG) is a forum led by the Research Operations Office where research grant administration issues and developments are discussed. Minutes and presentations from the meeting on Thursday 12 March are now available http://www

21 Apr 2015: Professor Paul Boyle, Chief Executive of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), will be visiting the University of Cambridge for one of his eleven annual visits to universities in the