Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698060090034.pdf (Liberia)
Regulations on the Science Fund of the University of Akureyri (UNAK) Approved in the University Council on 2 November 2017 The University of Akureyri Science Fund has the role of promoting research and scientific endeavour on behalf of the University.

The fund is divided into four subfunds.

These are the Research Fund, Travel Fund, Work Duties Fund and Publication Fund.
The Board of Directors of the UNAK Science Fund allocates payments from the above- mentioned funds in accordance with the following regulations.

The Fund’s assets are derived from specific budgetary allocations, according to the decision of the University Council, for each individual fund.

The University Council can specify other avenues of raising money and receiving monetary contributions from individuals, institutes and companies for the Fund.
The Board of Directors is not authorised to accept contributions or gifts for the Fund that are subject to stipulations without the prior approval of the University Council.

The Board of Directors is composed of six persons.

The Board is appointed by the University Council for terms of three years at a time.

The University Council shall ensure that the Board of Directors always includes one representative from each School and one representative of other staff members from administration/support services.
Reappointing the Board of Directors is permitted in part or in its entirety.

The University Council appoints one of the Board members to the Chair of the Board of Directors.

The Board of Directors advertises and calls for applications for grant allocations from the Fund and decides on application periods if they have not been specified in the relevant allocation rules.
The Board of Directors is in charge of the finances of the Fund on behalf of the University Council and decides on allocations from the above-mentioned funds in accordance with the relevant rules.

The Board of Directors may adopt rules of procedure on allocation, which shall be confirmed by the University Council.

The University supplies the Fund with work by Research Administration.

Accounting on behalf of the fund is in the hands of Research Administration and the Managing Director of the University.
The Board of Directors provides the University Council with a written report on its work once a year.

1 1.

RESEARCH FUND The Board of Directors of the University of Akureyri Science Fund manages the Research Fund of the University of Akureyri and allocates grants in accordance with the following rules.

An application shall be sent to Research Administration using a special form, as well as supporting documents specified on the form.

1.1.
1.1.

Permanent instructors and specialists hired by the University of Akureyri can apply for grants from the Fund for work on specific projects and for payment of other costs for research conducted in the name of the University.

Lecturers, Senior Lecturers and Professors who were employed at the University when they started receiving their pension, can apply for grants from the Fund on the same terms as were specified above.
Specialists shall be primarily engaged in research or receive salary from fixed allocations or grants to the University of Akureyri.

Eligible for grants are also specialists of institutions/companies that have concluded a special agreement with the University of Akureyri on access to the Research Fund.

1.2.

Assessment of applications for project grants shall be based primarily on their scientific and academic value.
Furthermore, the research activity of applicants and the research interests of the University of Akureyri shall be taken into account.

The Board of Directors can seek professional reports from outside parties concerning the applications of persons eligible for grants if the Board believes there is reason to do so.

The Fund also provides preliminary grants for the preparation of applications to competitive funds.
The planned publication process for the research shall be taken into account and a grant recipient shall publish his/her findings in the name of the University of Akureyri.

1.3.

If a Board member applies for a grant from the Fund, the Board member shall recuse himself/herself from the meeting concerning the allocation in question.

In the same way, an employee of Research Administration recuses himself/herself from administration if he/she is a party to an application.
In other respects, general rules on disqualification apply.

1.4.

An advertisement and call for applications shall be issued by 1 November of each year.

An application deadline is announced, normally amounting to approximately one month.

A probable maximum amount for grant allocations at each time shall be specified.

Applicants are encouraged to thoroughly familiarise themselves with rules on the Fund.

Only one application is taken under consideration from each main applicant.
1.5 Evaluation of applications a.

In order for an application to be considered worthy of a grant, the project must be academically well defined, and the scientific value of the proposed research must be beyond doubt and carefully supported with arguments.

2 b.

The application will not be taken under consideration if any of the following supporting documents are not included with the application; see further information in section 1.7 and section 18 on the application form.

• A detailed CV.
• A detailed CV.

• If the application is a follow-up application then a progress report and a detailed financial statement for the last grant period, as well as published articles and reports, must accompany the application.

• Final reports (or progress reports) for earlier projects by the applicant that have been supported by the Fund.

• Detailed explanations for all items of expenditure and financing shall be included on a separate sheet marked 18.4.
It c. If the project is part of a larger project or a prelude to a larger project, this must be mentioned, as well as the scope, aims and possible financing of the project.

is necessary that applicants demonstrate their scientific qualifications and that of their collaborators, as well as satisfactory facilities to lead work on the proposed project.

Defined and active connections with other research projects, domestic and foreign, can increase the chances of a project receiving a grant.
d. It is an advantage if the project includes the training of young scientists and technicians, strengthens domestic and international competitiveness of scientists and increases international participation in the field of science.
e. An application will be strengthened if it is demonstrated that the proposed subject matter or related projects are likely to produce results that will be published in peer-reviewed journals with high academic standards (according to the ISI standard or other publications categorised as „aflstig“; see further information on Uglan/rannsoknir/framtal starfa), will lead to a patent registration, intellectual property rights or other utilisation.
Applicants, who have received a grant from the Fund in the past three years for a project that was supposed to lead to such a publication or utilisation, shall submit a copy of published material or a special report if applicable to Research Administration no later than upon submitting a new application.

1.6.

Allocation of grants Based on the above-mentioned points, the Board of Directors divides applications into five categories (I-V): I.

Excellent II.

Very good III.

Good IV.


Fair V. Applications containing serious procedural errors and applications outside the range of responsibilities of the Research Fund.

3 At the end of the allocation process, which spans 10 weekdays, after information on the financial standing of the Fund is sent to the Board from the University Council, applicants will receive a reply with the conclusion of the Board of Directors.

1.7.
1.7.

Points to keep in mind when preparing an application Grants are allocated once a year.

The application deadline is generally 1 December (cf.

an advertisement each year).

Applications shall be sent via email to rannsoknir@unak.is.

Only electronic applications are accepted.

A comprehensive report on the educational and professional career of all applicants must accompany each application.
Applicants are advised to thoroughly familiarise themselves with who has the right to apply for a grant from the Fund and which expenses may be funded.

Applicants are reminded that high-quality applications are more likely to be awarded grants.

A progress report on the use of grants from the Fund and on success attained during the period covered by the grant must accompany applications.
Applicants are asked to submit a plan of implementation for the project so that the Allocation Committee has an overview of the expenses and progression of the project.

Furthermore, applicants shall submit a detailed project schedule for the coming grant year, as the application is for only one year at a time.

Payments are spread out over the grant period in accordance with outlay expenditures based on the project schedule in the application.
Outlay expenditures are paid in accordance with confirmed invoices.

It is necessary that applicants clearly report the prospective involvement of parties other than the Research Fund in covering the costs of the project, so that it is possible to evaluate the importance of a grant from the Fund in relation to the full expense of the project and also to ensure that grants are not awarded at the same time from other sources to cover the same expenses.
Applicants must provide reasoning for individual expenses and explain the need for a grant.

a.

Reference shall be made to the rules on the Research Fund of the University of Akureyri regarding an applicant’s eligibility.

b.

The Board of Directors is permitted to have a specific area of emphasis in relation to grant allocations, in which case the Board encourages applications in those areas in the advertisement and call for applications when appropriate.
c. Grants are awarded in particular to cover the following expenses: c.1 Wages for the work of assistants on the research project in accordance with the application.

An applicant eligible for a grant according to Article 1 in the rules on the University of Akureyri Research Fund can apply for a salary for the work of Master’s and Doctoral students in a project that the applicant manages, but students can not apply themselves.

c.2 Other research costs.


This category may include, for example, various supplies, services purchased, publication costs and computer expenses.

c.3 necessary for individual research projects.

for purchasing technical equipment which Payments is 4 A preliminary grant for preparing a grant application for a c.4 research project.
The grant may, for example, be of use in purchasing assistance to prepare an application to competitive funds or preliminary research that would lead to an application for a grant for a larger project.

c.5 Indexing projects and/or databases.

Academic indexing projects may be funded, as well as projects that involve the academic processing and presentation of information.

Indexing projects are only eligible for funding if they are based on the academic and critical premises of individual research areas.
They must also be under the management of the same academic competence and researchers possessing experience as required for other applications.

One of the primary requirements for funding is that the project is likely to strengthen and facilitate university research in the field in question.

c.6 Grants for conferences.

It is permissible to allocate grants for scientific conferences at the University of Akureyri or a conference that the University organises in cooperation with other parties.
Grants for post-docs.

Post-docs may be awarded grants if the c.7 Fund has sufficient finances.

Post-docs are defined as those who have completed a doctorate in the past five years.

To be eligible for a grant, post-docs must be engaged in research at the University of Akureyri or an affiliated institute, funded by a special competitive post-doctoral grant awarded by a recognised party, such as the Science and Technology Policy Council Research Fund or another research fund.
The evaluation of applications shall focus on the quality of the applicant’s project with regard to its scientific value and the research plan.

Applications must be accompanied by a confirmation, from a faculty or institute, that the applicant has access to satisfactory facilities at the University in order to conduct the proposed research.

Furthermore, the applicant’s publication output and the scope of his/her work at the University shall be evaluated.
Post-docs are authorised to use grants to pay their own wages or to cover other research expenses.

The Board of Directors shall determine the maximum grant sum for each year.

This sum shall be advertised.

Applications shall be submitted to Research Administration using special forms.

d. Outlay expenditures, up to 85%, are paid depending on the progression of the project, in accordance with the invoices sent by the grant recipient.
15% of the grant amount is paid when a final report has been submitted to Research Administration.

If a research project requires permission from the National Bioethics Committee, its permission must be in place before payments are made from the Fund.

Accounting on behalf of the Fund is in the hands of Research Administration and the Managing Director of the University, and payments from the Fund are made on the basis of issued invoices.

5 2.
5 2.

TRAVEL FUND The Board of Directors of the University of Akureyri Science Fund manages the Travel Fund of the University of Akureyri and allocates grants in accordance with the following rules.

An application shall be sent to Research Administration using a special form, as well as supporting documents specified on the form.

The University Council agrees to supply funds to the University of Akureyri Travel Fund and each year, decides on the amount to be provided to the Fund.

2.1.
2.1.

Travel Grant A Right of staff to grants according to employment ratio Staff in positions for whom the University of Akureyri is the principal employer, in 50% employment or higher, may be awarded grants from the University of Akureyri Travel Fund (Travel Grant A) in accordance with their employment ratio.

Staff with a lower employment ratio may not receive grants from the Travel Fund.

Who can apply?

1.

Lecturers, Senior Lecturers and Professors in permanent positions.

2.
2.

Research specialists, research scholars and research scientists within University of Akureyri institutes, hired on the basis of a qualifications assessment.

3.

Other University of Akureyri staff who have their work evaluated in accordance with the Evaluation System for Public Higher Education Institutions.

4.

Retired employees to whom items 1-3 apply and who were employed by the University of Akureyri when they retired.

2.1.1.
2.1.1.

Rules for awarding of grants Grants are awarded for travel to attend international academic conferences, participate in international academic projects or gather data for research, upon meeting the conditions of the following rules of the UNAK Travel Fund: a.

To receive a grant from the UNAK Travel Fund in order to attend international academic conferences, an applicant must contribute to the conference.
The grant recipient must submit a report on the contribution to Research Administration within two months of returning back to Iceland.

b.

It is possible to apply for a grant if the purpose of the travel is to initiate a collaborative research project.

Specific reasoning must be provided for this, and the proposed collaboration/research must be carefully described with the main emphasis on the probable benefit of collaboration to the applicant’s work at the University of Akureyri.
6 c. It is possible to apply for a grant for travel in order to gather essential research data in libraries/archives/research institutes, on the condition that it is not possible to gather this data in any other way.

Specific reasoning must be provided for this, and the proposed gathering of data must be carefully described, as well as the reasons for which it is not possible to access the data in any other way.
d. Grants from the UNAK Travel Fund are divided into grants for covering travel fares and conference fees.

Grants for providing per diem allowance, from the Science Fund, are paid out according to UNAK’s rules on payment of allowance.

2.1.2.

Funding period of Travel Grant A The funding period is two calendar years.

The maximum grant from the UNAK Travel Fund awarded to each applicant for each funding period may not exceed ISK 150,000 for covering travel fares and conference fees.
The maximum length of an individual trip is two days longer than the length of the conference, up to a limit of 7 days.

It is possible to use a grant for more than one trip during each funding period.

The maximum grant is based on 100% employment.

2.2.

Travel Grant B Other UNAK staff, in 50% employment or higher, may be awarded grants from the University of Akureyri Travel Fund (Travel Grant B) in accordance with their employment ratio.
Staff with a lower employment ratio may not receive grants from the Travel Fund.

2.2.1.

Rules for awarding of grants Grants are awarded for travel to attend international academic conferences, participate in international academic projects or gather data for research, upon meeting the conditions of the following rules of the UNAK Travel Fund.

a.
a.

To receive a grant from the UNAK Travel Fund for travel in order to attend international academic conferences, an applicant must contribute to the conference and/or contribute in a way that benefits the University of Akureyri.

The grant recipient must submit a report on the contribution to Research Administration within two months of returning back to Iceland.

b.
b.

It is possible to apply for a grant if the purpose of the travel is to initiate a collaborative research project and to familiarise oneself with innovations and entrepreneurial work conducted elsewhere that supports research carried out under the auspices of UNAK.

Specific reasoning must be provided for this, and the proposed collaboration/research must be carefully described with the main emphasis on the probable benefit of collaboration to the applicant’s work at the University of Akureyri.
c. Furthermore, it is possible to apply for a grant for travel in order to gather essential research data in libraries/archives/research institutes outside of Iceland, on the condition that it is not possible to gather this data in any 7 other way.

Specific reasoning must be provided for this, and the proposed gathering of data must be carefully described, as well as the reasons for which it is not possible to access the data in any other way.
d. Grants from the UNAK Travel Fund are divided into grants for covering travel fares and conference fees.

Grants for providing per diem allowance, from the Science Fund, are paid out according to UNAK’s rules on payment of allowance.

2.2.2.

Funding period of Travel Grant B The funding period is two calendar years.

The maximum grant from the UNAK Travel Fund awarded to each applicant for each funding period may not exceed ISK 150,000 for covering travel fares and conference fees.
The maximum length of an individual trip is two days longer than the length of the conference, up to a limit of 7 days.

It is possible to use a grant for more than one trip during each funding period.

The maximum grant is based on 100% employment.

8 3.

WORK DUTIES FUND The Board of Directors of the University of Akureyri Science Fund manages the Work Duties Fund of the University of Akureyri and allocates grants in accordance with the following rules.

3.1.
3.1.

The Fund provides grants to finance temporary changes in work duties of instructors at the University, that is, changes that strengthen their position to work on or lead work on specific well-defined projects in the field of research.

Each year, the University Council determines a contribution to the Fund in finalising the University budget for the coming year.

Allocations from the Fund go to the University’s Schools.

3.2.
3.2.

The Board of the UNAK Science Fund estimates annually according to the rules of the Fund and its finances how much should be allocated to each School.

The aim shall be for the Board’s plan to be in place in mid-February.

An allocation may be used for the remainder of the year and the spring semester of the following year.

3.3.

The Board of the Science Fund advertises and calls for applications for grant allocations from the Work Duties Fund in mid-January of each year.
Applications of instructors and/or nominations of School Deans shall be received by the Fund by 15 February.

If there is money left in the Fund after allocation, an advertisement and call for applications shall again be issued with 15 September as the application deadline.

3.4.

An instructor who has been successful in research, can apply directly for a grant from the Fund to transfer his/her work duties temporarily away from teaching to research, cf Article 3.5 a, point route.

A School Dean, cf.
A School Dean, cf.

Article 3.5 b, nomination route, may apply for a grant from the Fund according to these rules if he/she decides to exercise the permission to transfer the work duties of an instructor temporarily away from teaching to research.

In both instances, it is a requirement that the grant is used for work on specific well-defined research projects.
An instructor who applies for a leave from the Work Duties Fund shall submit a proposal to the School Dean on who will attend to the instructor’s teaching during the leave to ensure that teaching will be carried out as normal.

3.4.

It is permissible to allocate grants from the Fund to employees who fulfill one of the following conditions: a.

Point route.

It is permissible to allocate grants from the Fund to instructors who have been successful in research measured in „aflstig“, cf.
item 1 of paragraph 2 in Article 6 of Regulation No.

1010/2016 on the Promotion and Permanent Appointment of Academic Staff at the University of Akureyri to partially relieve them of teaching duties to enable them to work on specific well-defined projects in the field of research.

Success in research means that the instructor has attained 30 „aflstig“ or more during the last three years.
If there is more than one applicant within each School who has attained this success, then their ranking in terms of „aflstig“ within each field shall be followed when making a decision on grant allocation and thus the amount of the grant.

9 b.

Nomination route.


A School Dean is permitted to submit a proposal that individual instructors, even if they do not fulfill requirements according to the point route, receive a temporary transfer of work duties from teaching to research projects or projects that have the aim of strengthening research work and research collaboration.

Accompanying such a proposal shall be a reasoned argument from the School Dean on the competence of the instructors to work on the given projects.
See operating procedures 3.6.

The Board of Directors shall assume that at least 80% of the allocation at each time is to instructors who fulfill requirements according to Article 3.4 a., point route.

An instructor who applies according to the point route, shall present the signature of his/her School Dean where the Dean verifies that he/she is aware of the application.

3.7.
3.7.

It is assumed that each School will receive a share in the overall allocation according to the total research points of all academic staff based on the past three years; in such a way, though, that it is ensured that each School receives at least 1/10 of each year’s allocation according to the point route, Article 3.4 a.

The transfer of work hours from teaching to research can on average amount to a fourth of the teaching duty of the instructor in question.
The Board of Directors, though, is allowed to decide on another proportion under special circumstances.

If the grant is not used for what it was intended, the School Dean can apply to the Fund to make use of the amount to benefit other instructors in accordance with Articles 3.1-3.4.

An instructor whose work duties are transferred, needs to conduct more teaching than corresponds to half of the granted teaching discount, in addition to new teaching duty, before teaching overtime is created.

3.8.
3.8.

The Fund provides the School in question with a grant amounting to the estimated average cost of transferring the work duties of instructors.

Annually, the Board decides on what shall be considered the average cost of transfer, amounting to a fourth of the teaching duty.

3.7.

The Fund’s Board of Directors can adopt more detailed rules of procedure, which the University Council confirms.

10 4.
10 4.

PUBLICATION FUND The Board of Directors of the University of Akureyri Science Fund manages the Publication Fund of the University of Akureyri and allocates grants in accordance with the following rules.

An application shall be sent to Research Administration using a special form, as well as supporting documents specified on the form.

4.1.

The Publication Fund is intended to strengthen the publication of research- and academic writings by employees of the University of Akureyri.
A special effort shall be made to support projects that strengthen the University of Akureyri, increase its visibility in the community or disseminate new knowledge to the public and the academic community.

4.2.

The Board of the Science Fund advertises and calls for applications for grant allocations from the Publication Fund in mid-January of each year.

Applications shall be received by the Fund by 15 February.
If there is money left in the Fund after allocation, an advertisement and call for applications shall again be issued with 15 September as the application deadline.

The advertisement shall specify the total amount to be allocated at each time and each grant can never amount to more than a third of that total amount.

Allocation shall have been determined two months after the end of the application deadline.

4.3.
4.3.

Eligible for publication grants are all instructors in permanent positions and specialists hired by the University of Akureyri who are authors, co-authors or editors of the written works described in the application.

Lecturers, Senior Lecturers and Professors who worked at the University when they started receiving their pension, can also apply for grants from the Fund.
Specialists shall be primarily engaged in research or receive salary from fixed allocations or grants to the University of Akureyri.

Eligible for grants are also specialists of institutions/companies that have concluded a special agreement with the University of Akureyri on access to the Research Fund.

Applications shall specify the following: • The academic value of the publication • Connection with the operations of UNAK • Whether the publication receives grants or assistance from other parties 4.4.
Accompanying applications must be a complete manuscript, as well as a publication plan and cost estimate confirmed by a recognised publishing house, for example, the University of Iceland Press.

Other things being equal, peer-reviewed manuscripts that will bring research points to UNAK shall have priority.

4.5.

The Board of Directors of the University of Akureyri Science Fund allocates grants in accordance with these rules.
Applicants shall be notified in writing of the decision on their applications, including the grant amount and other conditions regarding the grant.

Grants will not be paid out until the written work in question is fully complete and published.
11 4.6 Bibliographic information that must accompany an application The publication must fulfill bibliographic requirements, be reviewed by staff members of the Library and Information Services of the University of Akureyri and be clearly marked with the University’s name.

The Library and Information Services of the University of Akureyri allocates ISBN (International Standard Book Number) numbers.
It is possible to apply for an ISBN number by submitting a request to the email address bsha@unak.is; accompanying the request must be bibliographic information on the publication, for example, title, author/editor, publisher and the estimated date of publication.

Bibliographic information that must be in place.


Bibliographic information on the title page • Title • Authors/editors • UNAK logo Bibliographic information on the back of the title page • Publisher • Copyright • Year of publication • Printing/distribution • • Who supports the publication of the book – name of the fund • Authors • Editors • Peer reviewers – if applicable ISBN Back page • UNAK logo • ISBN number with bar code Spine • UNAK logo 12