Consultancies

1.1 University employees who work for outside organizations significantly improve the functioning of the larger academic community, information exchange with industry, the public and third sectors, and the community at large. Additionally, the University and the personnel involved profit from it.

1.2 The University encourages its employees to work for outside organizations since it is a responsible employer and business, provided that doing so does not conflict with or impair their performance of their contractual obligations to the University.

1.3 There are three major sorts of work done for external organizations:

1. Work for external organizations that are a part of the larger academic endeavor is referred to as "work for the wider academy" and depends on a staff member's academic or administrative expertise. Peer review and committee work for research funding bodies, learned societies, academies, and journals are included here, as well as external examining or other expert advice for other universities, lectures and presentations at other universities and academic conferences, writing and editing books and journals, as well as TV and radio appearances related to the dissemination of research.
2. Consultancy and other expert work for non-academic bodies - work for non-academic outside bodies that relies on a staff member's administrative or academic experience, such as consultancy advice to industry or government departments.
3. Work for non-academic outside entities that does not depend on a staff member's academic or administrative knowledge, such as serving on a school governing body, is referred to as non-expert work for non-academic bodies.

2.1 Academic staff members' and some administrative staff members' work for the larger academy plays a significant role in their jobs. Such employees are encouraged to look for and accept employment that supports excellent academic endeavours on a national and worldwide level in their area of specialisation and contributes to the reputation-building of both the employee and the university. Employees should talk to their line manager about the scope and nature of such commitments.

2.2 Employees who have work that might clash with or be perceived as conflicting with the interests of the university must get their line manager's approval. The Department's Register of Interests must contain a record of all such efforts.  

2.3 Employees may keep any payments provided directly to them for work done for other academic institutions, but the policy governing such payments will be continuously reviewed as policy and practise at universities and other external organisations change.

2.4 With regard to work that is primarily in this category, the University typically does not seek to monitor or take part in contractual agreements between personnel and outside organisations.

3.1 An essential component of information exchange between the University and other organisations is consulting and other expert work for non-academic bodies. As a crucial means of achieving the goals in the University Plan and Business and Community Strategy and of attending to the needs of business, the public sector, and nonprofit organisations, the University promotes and supports such activity.

3.2 Departments should bill outside organisations for university consulting and other expert work at rates that reflect both the value of the work to the client and the entire cost of the work to the university.  Unless the department agrees on a strategy to leverage the work to build a longer-term partnership that can provide higher value for the University, prices should not exceed full costs.

3.3 Staff members may earn additional money from their work on consulting or other contracts for the Department, subject to the Head of Department's approval. Departments are required to keep at least a percentage of any contractual income to reimburse the University for the resources invested in securing, maintaining, and taking on the risks of the contract. Departments are completely free to recover all or part of the staff's wage expenditures in order to complete the contracted work.

3.4 Staff members may consult privately for outside organisations on a limited basis during work hours, up to a total of 20 days per year for each employee, with the Head of Department's consent and in accordance with the standards listed below for the entire University.

3.5 Staff members who are permitted by their head of department to perform consulting or other expert work privately for outside organisations must discuss this with their line manager and obtain their written consent in advance, making sure that:
A. It does not conflict with the work that the department or the university may choose to pursue.

B. It has no bearing on their capacity to carry out the duties they have been assigned for the university.

C. They sign a document in advance attesting to the following:

• They are working in a private capacity and have made it clear to the outside body that the University is not involved in or responsible for the work;
• No University resources are being used for the work; and
• They are aware that any liability related to the work or its results rests with them and not the University.

3.6 The university encourages using university-sponsored consulting opportunities as opposed to private ones. Benefits include reduced personal liability and support should problems arise, the use of university resources and systems, and, in situations where departmental and/or central support staff have more expertise in these areas than the staff providing the consulting, potential contract terms and conditions improvements (in terms of direct income and contacts for further business).

4.1 Departments should follow the guidelines outlined in the Consultancy Policy, a part of the Intellectual Property and Commercialization Policy, while handling contracts for consulting and other work for outside organisations, as well as the income received by the Department for such work.

4.2 Departments must maintain staff members' written statements in accordance with the consultancy disclosure form (appended in the end of this document).