Given Kent’s ambitious target of doubling research income by 2020, the University recognises that it needs to do everything necessary to remove or reduce, wherever possible, barriers or disincentives that may prevent this.
One such are the central charges levied on grants that have low or no overheads, and the negative effect that this has on School resource allocation models (RAMs). It has therefore been decided that, with immediate effect, central charges will not be charged on all research projects funded by charitable organisations (whether UK-based or overseas and including Royal Society/British Academy).
In order to benefit from this credit, your School would need to demonstrate at the application stage that:
- Any new staff funded by the grant will interact with the school, e.g. contribute to practicals/lectures, co-supervise projects, co-author papers and/or give regular research seminars.
- The project has the potential for REF-related impact.
- The project will expand the professional network of the grant holder.
- The project will improve the track record of the grant holder, i.e. it is in the line of his/her research.
Any exceptions, where it appears that no such benefits will flow to the University, will be referred to the PVC Research & Innovation for a decision. It is anticipated that the majority of applications will be able to demonstrate these benefits.
The impact of this policy will be assessed in two years’ time. In the meantime, if you have any questions, do drop a line to Nigel Martin, the Research Accounts Manager, at n.t.d.martin@kent.ac.uk