first meeting of the management committee of cost targeted
TRANSCRIPT
TN1302: BESTPRAC
The voice of research administrators – building a network of administrative excellence
1st MC Meeting, Brussels, Belgium October 15, 2013
First Meeting of the Management Committee
of COST Targeted Network TN1302
TN1302: BESTPRAC
The voice of research administrators – building a network of administrative excellence
1st MC Meeting, Brussels, Belgium October 15, 2013
Working plan – presentation of Memorandum of
Understanding
WHY? HOW? WHAT?
TN1302: BESTPRAC
The voice of research administrators – building a network of administrative excellence
1st MC Meeting, Brussels, Belgium October 15, 2013
3
Necessity to examine influences shaping the development of the profession of research management and administration
WHY? Current situation
§ research administrators are a not well-defined group with fluctuant positions and unclear carrier development opportunities
§ European networks dealing with research management already exist and have drawn attention to the need for developing training programs § to improve quality of service § to address need for standardized research management practices § to support researchers across all disciplines and fields - In a structured and recognized way!
TN1302: BESTPRAC
The voice of research administrators – building a network of administrative excellence
1st MC Meeting, Brussels, Belgium October 15, 2013
4
WHY? Current situation
§ EU projects in this field have so far only be related to capacity building in research fields and not to actually manage projects in an adequate way à projects failed à disappointment on both sides
§ urgent need for § establishing and harmonising skills § simplification of procedures § lowering administrative burdens § building existing know-how § sharing knowledge
TN1302: BESTPRAC
The voice of research administrators – building a network of administrative excellence
1st MC Meeting, Brussels, Belgium October 15, 2013
TN1302: BESTPRAC
The voice of research administrators – building a network of administrative excellence
1st MC Meeting, Brussels, Belgium October 15, 2013
§ to allow networking and exchanging financial, legal and administrative experience
§ to share and develop best practices encouraging knowledge sharing, knowledge transfer and increased efficiency in project management
§ establish a network for the administrative, finance and legal services in universities, research organizations and related entities
WHAT? Aim / objectives
TN1302: BESTPRAC
The voice of research administrators – building a network of administrative excellence
1st MC Meeting, Brussels, Belgium October 15, 2013
Research Administrator
Funder: w Reach goals w Retain credibility w Lower error-rate w Lower admin costs w ….
Research Institution: w Lower error-rate w Recruiment w Training of staff w Carreer development w ….
AIM: improved administrative, financial and legal procedures of research projects carried out with European funding Benefit:
Researcher: w Concentrate on research w Lower error-rate w Retain qualified staff w ….
Research Administrator: w Recognition w Carreer development w Lower error-rate w ….
TN1302: BESTPRAC
The voice of research administrators – building a network of administrative excellence
1st MC Meeting, Brussels, Belgium October 15, 2013
Scientific programme
AIM: improved administrative, financial and legal procedures of research projects carried out with European funding
u WG1 – Administration: overall management of externally funded projects
u WG2 – Finance: financial aspects of preparing and running cross-European projects
u WG3 – Legal: legal framework of the projects
WHAT?
TN1302: BESTPRAC
The voice of research administrators – building a network of administrative excellence
1st MC Meeting, Brussels, Belgium October 15, 2013
Topics: overall management of externally funded research projects § project establishing (tools, methods, and procedures) § cross-cultural barriers § overall reporting § timesheets and closing of projects § audits
Deliverables: § deepened understanding of topics mentioned above
§ checklists and templates
§ case stories “good practice and experiences”
WHAT? WG1 – Administration
TN1302: BESTPRAC
The voice of research administrators – building a network of administrative excellence
1st MC Meeting, Brussels, Belgium October 15, 2013
Topics: financial aspects of preparing and running cross-European projects § accounting practices § VAT § overhead § exchange rates § audit
Deliverables: deepened understanding of financial regulations § of FP7 & H2020 (year 1)
§ of structural funds programmes with R&I focus (year 2)
§ checklists and templates
§ case stories “good practice and experiences”
WHAT? WG2 – Finance
TN1302: BESTPRAC
The voice of research administrators – building a network of administrative excellence
1st MC Meeting, Brussels, Belgium October 15, 2013
Topics: legal framework of projects § new framework programme standard contract and consortium
agreement § IPR and IPR in working with third parties § Patenting and technology transfer § International legal frameworks
Deliverables: deepened understanding of the legal issues of interacting with third parties in research projects § Input to the preparation of the DESCA for H2020
§ checklists and templates
§ case stories “good practice and experiences”
WHAT? WG3 – Legal
TN1302: BESTPRAC
The voice of research administrators – building a network of administrative excellence
1st MC Meeting, Brussels, Belgium October 15, 2013
Best practices in the field of research management and administration is targeted towards a group not yet well organised. They are the financial, legal and administration officers in institutions, who are: • handling the research funding, • preparing the financial reporting towards the funding body and also towards the research
involved, • reading and understanding the different financial rules and regulations of the different
(international) funding instruments and act accordingly, • communicating and discussing with auditors, • running the registration systems for manpower (time-sheets), • equipment, • purchasing, • negotiating the grant agreements with the funding agency, • other legal agreements, • the working contracts with the employees, • organising the overall reporting process and consortium events, • dealing with research strategy, • technology transfer, • dissemination etc. In this project we have used the notion Research Administrator
HOW? Target group of BESTPRAC
TN1302: BESTPRAC
The voice of research administrators – building a network of administrative excellence
1st MC Meeting, Brussels, Belgium October 15, 2013
HOW?
TN1302: BESTPRAC
The voice of research administrators – building a network of administrative excellence
1st MC Meeting, Brussels, Belgium October 15, 2013
HOW?
Research
EARMA
ECPMA
BESTPRAC
Other associa5ons
TN1302: BESTPRAC
The voice of research administrators – building a network of administrative excellence
1st MC Meeting, Brussels, Belgium October 15, 2013
Capacity Building and International Cooperation for the European Research Area
§ MIRRIS - Mobilising Institutional Reforms in Research and Innovation Systems, FP7-SSH, www.mirris.eu, ZSI partner
§ Co-ordination of Research Policies with the Western Balkan Countries, FP/-INCO, till 2014, www.wbc-inco.net, ZSI coordinator
§ Danube-INCO.NET, not yet started, till 2016, ZSI coordinator § Eastern Europe: INCO-NET EaP, FP7-INCO, till 2016,www.inco-eap.net, ZSI co. § Ukraine: BILAT UKR*AINA, FP7-INCO, till 2015, www.bilat-ukraina.eu, ZSI co. § Russia: BILAT RUS Advanced, FP7-INCO, till 2015, www.bilat-rus.eu, ZSI pa. § Africa: CAAST-NET PLUS, FP7-INCO, till 2016, www.caast-net-plus.org, ZSI pa.
Input on other related projects from MC-&WG-Members requested! – Library of Know-How?
HOW? Relations to other FP7 Projects
TN1302: BESTPRAC
The voice of research administrators – building a network of administrative excellence
1st MC Meeting, Brussels, Belgium October 15, 2013
Distribution of tasks Chair § lead of Action § reporting to COST Office and COST Domain Committee § contacts to other Actions, dissemination
Vice-Chair § assistance in lead of Action
Grant Holder § planning and management of budget (as Grant Holder) § setup and maintenance of Action webpage § dissemination activities § supporting local organisers in organisation of meetings and workshops § documentation and reporting of Action activities
WG Leaders § coordination of activities, specification of network directions § information on WG-progress to MC § organisation of WG meetings
HOW?
TN1302: BESTPRAC
The voice of research administrators – building a network of administrative excellence
1st MC Meeting, Brussels, Belgium October 15, 2013
Short Term Scientific Missions-Manager § administrative handling of STSMs § call for applications § handling of review process § decision in cooperation with Chair and WG-Leaders
Transversal Task-Force - Training § Identify and support the planning of training activities within working groups § Summerschools and other training events
Transversal Task-Force – National § Identify and support the planning of national related support activities § Widening Participation related issues, hereunder twinning actions
HOW? Distribution of tasks
TN1302: BESTPRAC
The voice of research administrators – building a network of administrative excellence
1st MC Meeting, Brussels, Belgium October 15, 2013
Proposals for WG-Leaders § WG1 - Admin: Marion BUSSEMAKERS (Radboud University, NL)
§ WG2 - Finance: Vanessa RAVAGNI (University of Trento, IT)
§ WG3 - Legal: Diana PUSTULA (Warzaw University, PL)
Proposals for STSM-Manager § Johan ÅKERMAN (University of Linköping, SE)
Proposals for Transversal Task Force-Managers § National: Elke DALL (ZSI, AT)
§ Training: Anne Katrin WERENSKIOLD (MPI of Biochemicistry, GE)
HOW? Elections of Core Group
TN1302: BESTPRAC
The voice of research administrators – building a network of administrative excellence
1st MC Meeting, Brussels, Belgium October 15, 2013
§ MC-members are asked to nominate national WG members (two per WG) and send contact details to Action Chair / Grant Holder
§ Please provide also “long list” with other people who might be interested in TN activities (for generating an e-mail distribution list)
§ We also need a list of experts in the field, and proposals are welcome If you have candidates please give name and e-mail to the WG-Leader
HOW? Nomination of Working Group Members
TN1302: BESTPRAC
The voice of research administrators – building a network of administrative excellence
1st MC Meeting, Brussels, Belgium October 15, 2013
NNC: § Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Egypt, Georgia, Jordan, Lebanon,
Libya, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Palestinian Authority, Russia, Syria, Tunisia, and Ukraine
§ to benefit from dedicated support for the integration in COST activities § can become a participant of the TN (MC Observer) § application procedure: letter of application to MC Chair – filing in e-cost – COST
Office SO check – MC approval – DC approval – JAF approval § once officially affiliated eligible for reimbursement § top-up of up to 10 % to TN budget can be granted for NNC researchers § MC members are asked enforce NNC applications
IPC: § countries that are neither COST countries nor NNC § affiliation on basis of mutual benefit § not eligible for reimbursement
HOW? Near Neighbour Countries (NNC) & International Partner Countries (IPC)
TN1302: BESTPRAC
The voice of research administrators – building a network of administrative excellence
1st MC Meeting, Brussels, Belgium October 15, 2013
Definition § ESR is a researcher in the start phase of his/her career with at least the PhD and
up to 8 years of experience after the PhD
§ most of the participants of TN do not hold a PhD
à How does COST Office define ESRs for our Targeted Network? Definition necessary to be able to prepare reports and for decision-making processes in cases when preference has to be given to ESRs.
HOW? Early Stage Researchers (ESR)
TN1302: BESTPRAC
The voice of research administrators – building a network of administrative excellence
1st MC Meeting, Brussels, Belgium October 15, 2013
Planned activities in 1st year of Action
TN1302: BESTPRAC
The voice of research administrators – building a network of administrative excellence
1st MC Meeting, Brussels, Belgium October 15, 2013
Joint Meeting on “Legal, Financial and Administrative Impact of H2020” & 2nd MC-Meeting
Participants: Members of all WGs, MC-Members (~ 75 participants)
Date: two-days-meeting, end of January 2014 (exact date tbd)
Venue: venue tbd (possibly Madrid, Spain)
Programme: 1. provide participants with required knowledge for successful participation in H2020-projects (½ - ¾ day) § invitation of experts from EC, DESCA § how to cope new Participant Portal § additional topics tbd
2. presentation of the delegations (½ - ¾ day) § to exchange experience and gather knowledge § identification of learning targets § to promote networking and establishing collaborations, STSMs
TN1302: BESTPRAC
The voice of research administrators – building a network of administrative excellence
1st MC Meeting, Brussels, Belgium October 15, 2013
Joint Meeting on “Legal, Financial and Administrative Impact of H2020” & 2nd MC-Meeting
Local Organiser Support
§ EUR 20 per attending participant (˜ € 1,400; no justification necessary) OR
§ based on invoices (max. € 10,000; justification necessary; VAT not eligible)
MC-approval for local organiser support grant of € 20 per registered person or payment of invoices requested!
TN1302: BESTPRAC
The voice of research administrators – building a network of administrative excellence
1st MC Meeting, Brussels, Belgium October 15, 2013
2nd Management Committee Meeting
Participants: Managing Board
Date: afternoon of second day
Tasks: § progress report of WG § STSM status § planning of future activities
TN1302: BESTPRAC
The voice of research administrators – building a network of administrative excellence
1st MC Meeting, Brussels, Belgium October 15, 2013
Joint Meeting on “H2020 – Hot Spot”
Participants: Members of all WGs, MC-Members (~ 20 participants)
Date: 1 ½-days-meeting, July 3-4, 2014
Venue: Tallinn, Estonia
Tasks: § Development of training materials and training strategy § H2020 “Hot Spot” to help setting up of new projects § establishing of training networks à output: set-up of first training school to be organised in
November/December 2014
MC-approval for local organiser support grant of € 20 per registered person or payment of invoices requested!
TN1302: BESTPRAC
The voice of research administrators – building a network of administrative excellence
1st MC Meeting, Brussels, Belgium October 15, 2013
Short-Term Scientific Missions General: § to support individual mobility, strengthen existing networks, and
foster collaborations § to visit institutions in other participating COST countries,
approved NNC institutions, or approved IPC institutions
Finances / number:
§ minimum of 5 in first year (only few applications expected before first WS & TS)
§ in following years minimum 8-10 per year § fixed contribution for travel & accommodation (max. € 160 per
day; up to € 500 for travel; max € 2,500 per application)
Duration: § COST-general rule of min. one week seems to be too long for the aims of STSMs in this TN § no experiments, etc. are carried out such as in other Actions § exchange of best practices in research institutions might be
possible within 1-3 days ! request to COST Office to allow shorter STSMs within
this TN
TN1302: BESTPRAC
The voice of research administrators – building a network of administrative excellence
1st MC Meeting, Brussels, Belgium October 15, 2013
Short-Term Scientific Missions STSM committee:
§ consisting of STSM manager, Chair, WG-Leaders § evaluation of STSM-applications § MC-approval that STSM committee has mandate to take
decisions on STSM-applications on behalf of MC
Submission procedure:
§ continuous submission procedure + ensure maximum flexibility + respond immediately to emerging topics – in case of more submissions than budgeted (first come first
service) è change to open call for STSM if tendency is identifiable § letter of acceptance by host institution has to be enclosed to
application
MC-approval for decision making process necessary!
TN1302: BESTPRAC
The voice of research administrators – building a network of administrative excellence
1st MC Meeting, Brussels, Belgium October 15, 2013
Training School on “…” Participants: 20-30
Date: min. 3 days; late autumn 2014
Venue: tbd
Programme: § to be specified in Tallinn-meeting
Reimb. of trainers/trainees:
§ Trainers will be reimbursed according to meeting rules § Trainees will receive a fixed financial contribution (max. € 160
per day, € 300 for travel) à € 750 for 3-days training school suggested
MC-approval for local organiser support grant of € 20 per registered person or payment of invoices & fixed reimbursement of trainees requested!
TN1302: BESTPRAC
The voice of research administrators – building a network of administrative excellence
1st MC Meeting, Brussels, Belgium October 15, 2013
Information on resp. persons in Action § short CV § photo § short description of institution § expertise (Template will be sent out.)
Information on Working Groups § description of WG § info on WG Chair & Members § …
Proposal for webpage of Targeted Network http://www.bestprac.eu
TN1302: BESTPRAC
The voice of research administrators – building a network of administrative excellence
1st MC Meeting, Brussels, Belgium October 15, 2013
Information on events: § MC&SC Meetings § WG-Meetings § workshops, conferences § …
Login to internal area for upload of documents, …
(Password will be sent out.)
Information on: § STSM § Training schools § Conference Grant § …
TN1302: BESTPRAC
The voice of research administrators – building a network of administrative excellence
1st MC Meeting, Brussels, Belgium October 15, 2013
COST Grant budget plan for 1st year
A. SUMMARY BUDGET
(1) Travel costs for meetings € 117,699
(2) Short-term scientific missions € 13,860
(3) Training schools € 34,700
(4) Dissemination – publications € 4,000
(5) Others
B. TOTAL SCIENCE EXPENDITURE € 170,259
C. 15 % financial & scientific admin & coord € 25,541
D. TOTAL EXPENDITURE € 195,800
MC-approval of budget plan requested!
TN1302: BESTPRAC
The voice of research administrators – building a network of administrative excellence
1st MC Meeting, Brussels, Belgium October 15, 2013
AOB