Research Contracts

Research Contracts Management

Research Contracts Management supports researchers and students at UP to establish agreements, obtain funding, establish collaborations and ensure compliance with various legislative and internal institutional policy requirements.

The unit’s responsibilities include the following:

• Vetting and approving research-related and license agreements
• Drafting and negotiating research contracts, such as Memorandum of Agreement, Memorandum of Understanding, research collaboration agreements, research funding agreements, material transfer agreements, clinical trial agreements, service-level agreements, licence agreements and non-disclosure agreements
• Providing legal advice and opinion on research and intellectual property-related matters across all faculties of the University
• Ensuring that the University recovers all direct and indirect costs associated with research projects

Before any research project can commence, the unit ensures that a suitable research contract is in place. Such a contract should be in line with the University’s policies, in particular the Intellectual Property Policy, and the Contract Research and Consulting Policy. Such a contract should also take cognisance of South African statutes such as the Intellectual Property Rights from Publicly Financed Research and Development Act, Act No. 51 of 2008, and the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, Act No. 10 of 2004, and their regulations thereto.

Prior to the signing of a research contract, it must be sent to the Department of Research and Innovation for perusal and approval. After that the checklist must be prepared, completed and signed by the responsible personnel in Innovation and Contract Management, the principal investigator, the Head of Department and the Dean of the Faculty or Head of the Department concerned.

The research project plan or proposal must have clear objectives, acceptable time scales and market-related pricing, and provision must be made for the University’s cost recovery fee, among other things.

Standard documentation includes the following:

• A template for calculating the direct and indirect costs (cost recovery fees)
• The non-disclosure agreement
• The Contract Research and Consulting Policy
• The Intellectual Property Policy

 Unit Manager

Click here to learn more about contract research and consulting.