Research and Innovation

Contents of the Chapter

9.1 Institutional Organization of Research and Development Support System

9.1.1 Faculty Research Committee

9.1.2 Library Research Committee

9.1.3 Senate Research Committee

9.1.4 University Research Council

9.1.5 International Relations Office (InRO)

9.1.6 Council & Academic Division

9.2 Administrative Procedures

9.2.1 Project Management Procedures

9.2.2 Human Resources – Recruitment and Management Procedures

9.3 Administrative and Financial Management Procedures for Hosting National and International Symposia/Workshops

9.4 Signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) & Agreements

9.1 Institutional Organization of Research and Development Support System

The University of Peradeniya has developed institutional support mechanisms to assist the academics to pursue research and development activities. These include the

1. Faculty Research Committee,
2. Senate Research Committee,
3. University Research Council,
4. International Relations Office,
5. Council & Academic Division, and
6. Finance Committee.

Each committee and division has well-defined functions to assist the academic staff engaged in research and development activities.

9.1.1 Faculty Research Committee

1. Each Faculty shall establish a Faculty Research Committee (FRC), which promotes research and development activities of the respective Faculty.
2. The FRC shall handle the implementation of University funded research projects that include advertising grants, short-listing proposals, reviewing proposal and submission of research proposals to the Senate Research Committee for its approval.
3. Once a research project is awarded, the FRC shall monitor the progress at periodic intervals and take all steps necessary to ensure that the project has achieved the intended objectives and outcomes / outputs.
4. The FRC shall work in close coordination with and assist the activities of the University Research Council and the International Relations Office.

The FRC shall handle any other activity assigned by the University to facilitate research (e.g. organizing iPURSE, evaluation and recommendation of research allowance applications, selection of research awardees and tier researchers, etc.).

Regulations governing the award of University Research Grants

9.1.2 Library Research Committee

The Library network shall have a Library Research Committee (LRC) comprising the Librarian and the Senior Assistant Librarians. This shall have functions similar to those of the FRC.

Regulations governing the award of University Research Grants

9.1.3 Senate Research Committee

1. The Senate Research Committee (SRC) is responsible for the overall administration and monitoring of all research grants awarded by the University.
2. For University funded research grants: The SRC shall consider the short-listed proposals submitted for funding by the FRCs. The SRC also shall entertain deferments, revision of budgets and extensions of approved research projects and undertake progress review and evaluation of final reports.
3. For externally funded research grants: The procedure to be followed by the academic staff when applying for externally funded research grants is outlined at the end of this chapter
4. The SRC shall critically examine the research projects which fail to progress satisfactorily and assist the grantees to overcome constraints, if any. Besides that, the SRC shall bring to the notice of the Council if any mismanagement or misappropriation of funds is detected.

The SRC is responsible for coordinating with the FRCs to organize and conduct the Peradeniya University International Research Sessions (iPURSE) and also for publication of its proceedings.

Regulations governing the award of University Research Grants

(Annex 9.1).

9.1.4 University Research Council

1. The primary goal of the University Research Council (URC) is to establish national & international identity of the University of Peradeniya as a centre of excellence in research and higher education and as a contributor to the global knowledge hub; thereby stimulating, encouraging, and supporting research across all segments of the University community by establishing multidisciplinary research collaborations at both national and international level.
2. The URC shall attract national / international funds for research, and encourage and assist the university staff to attract funds / research grants from national and international research granting bodies.
3. The URC shall establish research collaborations between UoP and local institutes and with overseas organizations in liaison with the International Relations Office (InRO).
4. The URC shall enhance UoP research publications in high impact journals by providing financial assistance and conduct courses/workshops to improve skills of scientific writing.
5. The URC shall maintain an up-to-date University research database.
6. The URC shall offer administrative support for research project handling and develop infrastructure & equipment facilities for research activities, and introduce mechanisms to accelerate procurement procedures related to research activities.
7. The URC shall organize national and international research conferences, seminars and workshops, and disseminate and showcase University research activities to university community, other relevant authorities and to the general public.
8. The URC shall assist in patenting and commercialization of research outputs by maintaining close links with University Business Linkage (BLII-TTOUBL) Cell.

The URC shall recognize outstanding researchers through award schemes.

Proposals approved by the 444^th meeting of the Senate held on 17.07.2019 and ratified by the Council at its 489^th meeting held on 26.10.2019.

Please refer Chapter 08 for details

9.1.5 International Relations Office (InRO)

1. The primary goal of the International Relations Office (InRO) is to establish international identity and enhance the global engagement of UoP in order to enhance its global visibility as a Centre of Excellence in Higher Education; and thereby promoting international engagement of the University of Peradeniya through facilitating international academic exchange programmes and providing resources, platforms and scholarly exchange activities via improving institutional capacity building.
2. The InRO shall be responsible for internationalizing the University and its degree programmes.
3. The InRO shall initiate and facilitate Memoranda of Understandings (MoUs) and Agreements for collaborative teaching and research activities with various institutions throughout the world.
4. The InRO shall promote, coordinate and administrate the exchange of international scholars and students, and attract funds for international mobility of students and staff (Academic and Non academic); thereby increasing international mobility programmes for students and both academic & non-academic staff of the University.
5. The InRO shall monitor and maintain international relations of the University.
6. The InRO shall facilitate consultancy programmes related to international affairs.
7. The InRO shall maintain a database of international activities of the University.
8. The InRO shall disseminate the outcome of activities of international affairs to the university community, relevant authorities and the general public.
9. The InRO shall oversee the matters related to international ranking of the University.

Proposals approved by the 444^th meeting of the Senate held on 17.07.2019 and ratified by the Council at its 489^th meeting held on 26.10.2019.

9.1.6 Council & Academic Division

1. Deputy Registrar or Senior Assistant Registrar of the Council & Academic Division functions as the Secretary to the Senate Research Committee. This division handles all grants funded by the University and the award of Research Fellowships.
2. All correspondence, including submission of requests for extensions, amendments to the original project proposal, progress reports, and appointments of temporary or contractual staff must be channeled through this division to the Senate Research Committee.

Regulations Governing the Award of University Research Grants

By-Laws pertaining to the award of Research Fellowships

9.2 Administrative Procedures

9.2.1 Project Management Procedures

1. The Chief Grantees are responsible for all documentation relating to the research grant.
2. Chief Grantees are responsible for the maintenance and safekeeping of all project related documents/assets and submitting them to relevant authorities on request. The University thus reiterates the requirement for compliance with policies and procedures and the retention of supporting documents as a precondition of funding.
3. The Chief Grantee of the project shall hold staff meetings on a reasonable time period and furnish minutes of such meetings to the Dean of the Faculty. The Dean and the Vice Chancellor could seek clarifications from the Chief Grantee with regard to allegations/queries/misappropriations recorded at the staff meeting in minutes and representations made by research assistants/students. University reiterates the importance of good governance practices as a condition for funding from either public or donor funds.
4. Personnel records are to be maintained by the Chief Grantee if there are any payments agreed for assistants employed by the project. External persons can be recruited on temporary/assignment basis with payments to be derived from the project funds and the approval of the SRC must be obtained for such recruitments.
5. Conflict of Interest Policies that are designed to ensure that project personnel are and are seen to be independent and objective in all project activities should be implemented, thus no grantee should recruit/employ their close relatives and pay any remuneration for such personnel without approval of the SRC.

Regulations Governing the Award of University Research Grants

9.2.2 Human Resources – Recruitment and Management Procedures

1. All recruitments of contractual staff under the grant must be pursued according to the standard procedures adopted by the University; these include advertising within the faculty/university/through newspapers/websites as appropriate and selection through a very transparent process.
2. The names of the selected candidate/s must be submitted to the Vice Chancellor for approval and instruct the SAR/Academic and Council to effect the appointment through the SAR/Academic Establishment in the case of research associates and research assistants / research students and to the SAR/Non-academic establishment in the case of technical assistants and other categories.
3. The rates payable should be in accordance with rates agreed by the funding agency or rates applicable to similar grades of the University.
4. The Chief Grantee must maintain an attendance register and the extract of the attendance must be attached to the request for monthly allowance payments.
5. Rates of payments for travelling and subsistence shall be in accordance with the university approved rates unless otherwise specified by the funding agency.
6. If private vehicles owned by the grantee are used, fuel expenses may be claimed as per the rates approved by the university.

9.3 Administrative and Financial Management Procedures for Hosting National and International

Symposia/Workshops

• 1. The University of Peradeniya encourages the academic staff to accept the invitations to organize and host national and international symposia, conferences and workshops.
  2. Such activities shall be coordinated through the International Relations Office (InRO) where the necessary guidance and logistic support will also be provided.
  3. The Proposal for hosting such events should be submitted by the academic staff member/chairman of the organizing committee through the Dean of the Faculty (if at the University level) with description of the activity and funding sources and the estimated budget for approval of the Finance Committee.
  4. All contributions from local and international donors and sponsors shall be handled by the Financial Administration Division. The Bursar shall take the responsibility of management and disbursement of funds as and when requested by the organizers through the normal channels.
  5. At the conclusion of the activity, the academic staff member or the Chairman of the Organizing Committee must submit a summary report of the activity to the Vice-Chancellor with a financial statement.

9.4 Signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) & Agreements

1. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) / Agreement shall be prepared according to the format approved by the University.
2. It is mandatory that all MoUs and Agreements are perused by the Legal & Documentation Division before they are submitted for approval of the Council.
3. Those of an academic nature (teaching/learning/research) should be approved by the Council on the recommendation of the relevant Faculty Board, ADPC and the Senate.
4. MoUs / Agreements approved by the Council must be sent to the University Grants Commission, in the duly completed prescribed form with adequate justification of the MoU/Agreement, in order to obtain approvals of the relevant Ministries.
5. Following the completion of the aforementioned procedure, the signing of the MoU / Agreement must be arranged by the relevant Faculty, Postgraduate Institute, or the Centre concerned.

Annex 9.1 Instructions to academics – Procedure to be followed in handling externally funded programmes/projects/grants

1. The applicant should apply for grants from external funding agencies (both local as well as international) either through the University or through the Postgraduate Institute. When applications are made through PG Institutes, please refer Chapter 12. This section describes only the procedure which is applicable to the applications made though the University.
2. All the applications should be forwarded through the proper channel (i.e. Head, Dean, and Vice-Chancellor). A copy of the cover letter retained in the Office of the Vice-Chancellor should be forwarded to the URC for documentation purposes.
3. The applicant should submit a copy of the project proposal and the budget initially to the Finance Committee through the proper channels (i.e. Head, Dean, Vice-Chancellor).
4. After obtaining approval from the Finance Committee, a ledger account will be opened by the Bursar.
5. Cash advances and cash imprests will be made available according to the University approval procedures. Any requests for enhanced cash advances should be adequately justified and the Vice-Chancellor may consider approving the requests subject to the approval of the Finance Committee. All administrative and financial procedures in dealing with cash advances are applicable for the special cash advances.
6. A separate bank account and RFC account are necessary as Terms of Reference (TOR) of the project, if the Donor requests so.
7. Unless specifically stated by the Donor (as a condition) all financial transactions (procurement of goods and services, appointments of project staff and their salaries, payment of advances, reimbursements of expenses, etc.) should be done according to the University and/or government financial regulations. The Bursar should send regular financial reports on international grants to the donor with copies to the relevant parties.
8. Where the grantee is empowered by the Donor to sign cheques, the University will not take any responsibility for such transactions and for which the grantee is responsible. All monies should be disbursed by the Bursar’s Office, who will be the first signatory for any cheque.
9. If the grant is awarded a copy of the awarding letter with a synopsis of the proposed study should be submitted to the Vice-Chancellor and the Director, URC, for the purpose of record.
10. A copy of the final report should be forwarded through the Head and the Dean to the URC for information.
11. The URC shall report biennially to the Senate Research Committee the numbers of research grant applications awarded and completed.