Research, Innovation and Enterprise during Covid 19 situation

*** Update from Vice Principal of Research, Innovation and Enterprise Prof Nick Antonopoulos ***

Colleagues,

Further to Andrea’s email last night regarding University staff transitioning to home working over the coming days, the Research Innovation & Enterprise (RIE) senior leadership team met this morning to consider our approach to this and confirm next steps.

After reviewing our home working capability, we have made the decision to move entirely to home working and provide virtual support from tomorrow. Further details of these arrangements, including main contacts, are described below.

Research Excellence Framework 2021
The University’s REF team is committed to continuing with the University’s REF2021 preparations in adherence to the current internal project plan and timeline. The REF team at Research England has issued an update on Covid-19 contingency planning to advise that they are examining a range of possible options to mitigate potential effects. Until such time that we receive further updates, we are continuing with our existing plans.

We will be communicating directly with UoA leaders in the coming days via email and skype to ensure that the immediate REF activity is progressing effectively.

We kindly ask that all staff involved with REF2021 activity, engage with the alternative forms of communication and are as responsive as reasonably possible, in order to allow us to continue our preparations effectively.

Any queries or communication regarding REF should be sent to the REF Project Manager, Ceri Bain.

Research students
Research students should contact their supervisors to discuss the impact of coronavirus on their research activities. Students who are due to have a viva examination may be able to have this run remotely, or can postpone if needed. We are seeking guidance from external funders regarding externally funded studentships and will provide information to students and staff when we have clarification. Research degree supervisors should get in touch with researchdegrees@napier.ac.uk about student matters as needed.

Training events
RIE Events are moving online for training and development events for staff and students. Further details on sessions will be available here. If you have any queries about events, please email RIEevents@napier.ac.uk

External bids and authorisation process
The Research Funding Managers will continue to support you with all aspects of winning and managing external research grant bids. Worktribe should continue to be used to develop all external research funding bids. Named funding manager contacts for each school are detailed below, and you should email them in the first instance. If you are unable to contact the named person for your school, please email RIOExternalFundingTeam@napier.ac.uk and one of the other team members will be able to assist.

Worktribe will still be required to develop commercial bids with support from your named Business Development Relationship Manager.

Please not that Worktribe is the University’s approved bid authorisation route and this should continue to be used going forward to approve your bid submissions.

Contracts
If you have any queries regarding research contracts, please contact your relevant Research Funding Manager, as above. If you have any questions regarding commercial contracts, please contact the External projects Team, as below.

Post Award
If you have any queries regarding an awarded external project please contact the External Projects Team in the first instance. Named contacts for each school (including contracts officer) are detailed below, and you should email them in the first instance. If you are unable to contact the named person for your school, please email externalprojects@napier.ac.uk and one of the other team members will be able to assist.

Bright Red Triangle
Check here for Covid19 updates from the Bright Red Triangle team.

Further RIE updates
Over the next week or so, the RIE team will be developing a landing page within the RIE intranet site where we will provide regular updates and answers to your frequently asked questions.

You’ll find a full list of contact details for the RIE team here.

Best wishes,

Nick​​