Research Contracts
Research grants and contracts are a significant part of many universities' activities. The overall volume of contracts from the EU, government departments, industry and overseas sources now exceeds £700m and rising. In addition, many grant funding sources now appear more like contracts than true 'grants'. As universities continue to develop their links with industry and as the commercialisation of Intellectual Property Rights increases in importance, the role of the Grants and Contracts team in supporting, developing and securing a university’s activities becomes increasingly important. Deals struck at the early stage in the development of a research area can promote or inhibit subsequent research and IP development depending on the terms and conditions achieved. At the same time those working in research services teams have to cope with a high volume of applications and creating the right balance between in-depth negotiation, model agreements and standard processes is challenging.
This 3-day course will be highly interactive and will advise on all aspects of the Research Contracts Officer's role in the negotiation and acceptance of research contracts and the implementation of University policy on overhead rates, intellectual property and publishing rights including:
- Basics of Contract Law
- Full Economic Costing
- Intellectual Property Rights
- Drafting and Negotiating Contracts
- Use of Model Agreements
- Professional Business Practice
Who should attend?
The course is primarily aimed at new or recently recruited staff from Research Contracts offices in academic institutions as well as those seeking to re-visit the scope of the tasks covered by their office. However, it will also be of interest to those working in Technology Transfer Offices who would like to know more about the detail of contract negotiation and seeking to establish the right framework for working together with their colleagues in research service departments. The course may also be of interest to sponsors of research activities including research councils, charities and industry.
