POLICY: RESEARCH INCENTIVE SCHEME

Transcription

1 POLICY: RESEARCH INCENTIVE SCHEME Purpose: Outlines the means available to assist academic staff with research activity or to reward successful grant applications and publication. Responsible Executive: PVCR Responsible Office: Research Office Contact Officer: Director Effective Date: 1 November 2014 Modification History: First approved 2005; modified June 2006, August 2006, February 2007; minor editing May 2007; minor additions May 2008; amendments to incentives for publication December 2009, amendments Nov 2011, amendments March 2012, amendments September 2012, amendments July 2013, amendments Jan 2014; amendments Nov 2014

2 1 Rationale Principles Direct Support Funding Incentives for Publication and HDR Supervision Incentives for Publication Incentives for supervising HDR students to graduation Use of Publication and Supervision Incentives... 5 The University of Notre Dame Australia effective from 1 st November

3 1 Rationale 1.1 The University aims to improve overall research performance and generate increases in research income and output through financial support for research related activities by academic staff. The Research Incentive Scheme (RIS) provides the means to assist with research activity or reward staff for publication or presentation of research outputs. 2 Principles 2.1 There are two elements of the RIS that provide financial support for research related activities at the University of Notre Dame Australia: Direct Support Funding and Incentives for Publication and HDR Supervision, as described in this Policy. 2.2 The Research Incentive Scheme provides up front direct support funding* to academic staff to assist with the: development of a research grant application(s) backed by a case for the likelihood of HERDC reportable outcome; development of small research projects unlikely to attract external funding, accompanied by a case for the likelihood of HERDC reportable outcomes; development of research projects that will attract new HDR students (with special focus on collaborative research projects with industry or the professions in the University s Research Focus Areas); seed funding for research projects directed towards an application for an external research grant backed by a case for the likelihood of HERDC reportable outcome; and conference expenses at which the staff member is presenting a paper that results in a HERDC reportable outcome, either by way of a reportable conference paper, journal article or book chapter. *Priority is given to applications for direct support funding in any of these categories which closely align with the Research Focus Areas of the University (as identified in the University s Strategic Plan ), and only in exceptional circumstances will other applications for direct support funding be considered. 2.3 The Research Incentive Scheme provides incentives for publication to academic staff who: have published research papers in peer reviewed journals and for other publications in formats that are HERDC reportable; have presented fully refereed papers on their research at conferences that qualify as E1 conference outcomes or result in other reportable outcomes; have facilitated the publication by HDR students under their supervision; and have supervised HDR students to graduation. Note that publications not reported via the HERDC process are not eligible for an incentive. This means that an eligible publication in a given year must be uploaded to the University repository prior to the cut off date (1st May) the following year. The University of Notre Dame Australia effective from 1 st November

4 2.4 Contracted (fulltime and fractional) staff members are eligible for direct support or for an incentive award. 2.5 Incentive awards are retained in an account for the individual staff member and can be redeemed to provide support for research related purposes undertaken by the staff member during their employment with the University (as described in Clause 26 of this Policy). Such research purpose must be authorised by the PVC Research (or delegate) on advice of the relevant Dean. Applications for use of RIS funds must be made prior to the commitment of funds for any purpose. 2.6 Sessional staff members and Adjunct staff are eligible to apply for RIS support or Incentives on the recommendation of the Dean of the School. Approval of RIS support or incentives for Sessional or Adjunct staff is given by the Vice Chancellor (or delegate). 2.7 Any unexpended staff RIS funds will be retained by the University upon the termination of employment or contract. 2.8 The Scheme cannot be used to support the operating budgets of research student projects who also happen to be staff. 2.9 The maximum amount of RIS funding available in a given year will be determined by the Vice Chancellor (or delegate) during the annual budgeting process The total funds in a staff member's RIS account cannot exceed a ceiling specified, from time to time, by the Research Committee (Appendix A) Travel diaries must be maintained for all international journeys and domestic journeys of more than 5 days duration. This requirement extends to where part of the period of travel connected with Work is non business related/private. This is a requirement for compliance with Australian Tax Office Fringe Benefits Tax Regulations. 3 Direct Support Funding 3.1 Priority is given to applications for direct support funding in any of these categories which closely align with the Research Focus Areas of the University (as identified in the University s Strategic Plan ), and only in exceptional circumstances will other applications for direct support funding be considered. 3.2 Financial support up to a limit of $1000 may be provided to assist in the development of an application for external research funding which, if successful, would lead to a HERDC reportable The University of Notre Dame Australia effective from 1 st November

5 outcome. The amount provided may vary in relationship to the complexity of the application process. 3.3 Full funding of small research projects with costs less than $5000 or seed funding for investigatory research prior to the submission of an application for an external research grant to a maximum of $5000 may be provided; applicants must provide a full price and costing analysis. Outcomes are expected to be HERDC reportable. 3.4 Financial support up to a limit of $5000 for the development of small research projects unlikely to attract external funding, but which will lead to HERDC reportable outcomes. 3.5 Financial support up to a limit of $5000 to assist the development costs of an external collaborative research project; special consideration will be given to the capacity of the project to attract new HDR students to the University; applicants must provide a full price and costing analysis. 3.6 The reasonable cost of attendance at a conference at which a fully refereed research paper is presented, or which will result in the publication of a HERDC reportable research outcome, may also be met in full or in part. A cap on these costs is specified, from time to time, by the Research Committee (Appendix B). The costs that may be met, depending on available funds, are registration and/or travel and/or accommodation. Existing funds in individual incentives accounts must be expended prior to any direct support funds becoming available. 4 Incentives for Publication and HDR Supervision 4.1 Incentives for Publication Incentives for publication will be awarded on acceptance for publication as per the categories set out in Clause For joint or multiple authored publications, each UNDA author will be allocated an equal fraction of this amount based on the number of other UNDA authors and irrespective of the number of authors from other institutions The incentives are: Sole authored book (not edited) $1800 Book (multiple authors, not edited) $1500 Book Chapter $500 Refereed article in scholarly journal $500 Fully refereed conference paper $250 Creative works (ERA reportable) $500 The University of Notre Dame Australia effective from 1 st November

6 4.1.4 The University of Notre Dame Australia must be the stated author affiliation listed on a publication in order to be eligible for the publication incentive Research outputs need to be original and incentives will only be allocated once for same or similar books, book chapters and refereed articles Future requests for Direct Support Funding will take account of reportable outcomes corresponding to previous funding requests. 4.2 Incentives for supervising HDR students to graduation The incentives are: $2,500 for supervision to graduation of a Doctoral student. $1,320 for supervision to graduation of a Master by Research. These amounts are based on a 100% supervision load and are calculated at a pro rata rate for a reduced percentage load of supervision. 5 Use of Publication and Supervision Incentives 5.1 Research Incentive Scheme funds held in individual accounts can be used to meet the cost of: Purchase of research equipment and consumables. Note that equipment such as laptops, ipads and digital recording devices remain the property of the University and must be registered on the University assets register. It is possible to subsequently negotiate purchase of such equipment although such purchases may incur Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT); Payment of reasonable travel expenses and per diem associated with staff undertaking approved research activities at locations outside the University. The per diem amount is that rate set by the University from time to time. Staff are required to make all conference and travel arrangements including flights and accommodation through the University s Travel Officer. Please also note that travel in excess of five days funded by this Scheme will require a completed travel diary. Travel diary template and policy available via Finance Office; Payment for research assistance; and Purchase of reprints and the costs of publication. Appendix A Maximum amount of RIS funds permitted in an academic staff $6, $6, The University of Notre Dame Australia effective from 1 st November

7 member s RIS account at any one time: Appendix B Maximum cap on the costs associated with conference attendance under the Direct Support Funding provision of this Policy Domestic Conference International Conference $2, $3, The University of Notre Dame Australia effective from 1 st November