Regulations of carrying out research projects

Regulations of carrying out research projects financed within the framework of the Agreement with the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education on co-financing the realization of international co-financed project (ICP Agreement) by the participants of ImPRESS Project PhD studies at the Medical University of Bialystok

The Medical University of Bialystok sets out the following Regulations of carrying out research projects financed within the framework of the Agreement with the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education on co-financing the realization of international co-financed project (ICP Agreement) by the participants of ImPRESS Project PhD studies at the Medical University of Bialystok:

§ 1

Definitions

Terms used in the Regulations have the following meaning:

ImPRESS Project – project for conducting PhD studies within the framework of the European Union's framework program for research and innovation ‘Horizon 2020’ under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions COFUND 2016 call (Agreement No 754432-ImPRESS) titled: "International Interdisciplinary PhD studies in Biomedical Research and Biostatistics. Supporting the career and training in omic-based research and biostatistics by inter-national and -sectoral mobility"acronym: ImPRESS,

ICP Agreement –the Agreement between the MUB and the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education on co-financing the realization of international co-financed project (Agreement No: 3773/H2020/COFUND/2017/2)

Regulations- Regulations of carrying out Research Projects financed within the framework of the ICP Agreement by the participants of ImPRESS Project PhD studies

PhD student – a participant of the PhD studies conducted within the framework of the ImPRESS Project

Principal Investigator – a PhD student, who submitted a Research Project Proposal based on the hereby Regulations and received the acceptance from the Vice Rector for Science and Development and the Head of the PhD Studies for carrying out the Research Project in the current year.

Research Project Proposal – a proposal for funding a Research Project within the framework of the ICP Agreement –attached as Appendix 1 to the hereby Regulations

Research Project – a research project carried out by a PhD student according to the Research Project Proposal

Final Project Report – a report on the implementation of the Research Project within the framework of the ICP Agreement – attached as Appendix 2 to the hereby Regulations

Relevant Bioethics Committee – Bioethics Committee of the MUB or the Local Ethical Committee for Animal Experiments in Olsztyn

MUB – Medical University of Bialystok

Vice Rector for Science and Development – MUB Vice Rector for Science and Development

Head of the PhD Studies – Head of the ImPRESS Project PhD studies

Office for Development and Evaluation – a team of administrative staff members of the MUB Office for Development and Evaluation handling the ImPRESS Project

§ 2

Authorized persons

Persons authorized to carry out the Research Projects based on the hereby Regulations are the ImPRESS Project PhD students.

§ 3

Principles of submitting Research Project Proposals

1. The deadline for submitting Research Project Proposals is set by the Vice Rector for Science and Development but it is not later than 30^th November of the year prior to the year when the funding will be awarded.

1a. In case of the necessity to conduct additional recruitment for PhD studies under the ImPRESS Project, the Vice Rector for Science and Development at the request of the Head of PhD studies may agree to open a new call for submitting Research Project Proposals for newly recruited persons, setting a date for the call deadline.

2. In each following year of their research activity, the PhD students may submit a Research Project Proposal for funding a new Research Project or a Research Project Proposal for funding a Research Project continued from the previous year.
3. In 2020 PhD student can submit a Research Project Proposal which lasts:

1. one year, a Research Project is carried out in 2021 (one-year Research Project) or
2. two years, a Research Project is carried out in 2021 and 2022 (two-year Research Project), whereby the Research Project should be completed one month before the employment contract ends with the Principal Investigator within the ImPRESS Project at the MUB.

4. In case of submitting a two-year Research Project Proposal in 2020 the PhD student is not allowed to submit a one-year Research Project Proposal in 2021.
5. The information about the open call for proposals is sent to the PhD students via email and posted on the MUB website: http://www.umb.edu.pl/en/impress
6. A PhD student submits a Research Project Proposal to the Vice Rector for Science and Development in two printed originals with all mandatory signatures, and sends an electronic version to the email address: wnioski@umb.edu.pl.
7. The Research Project Proposal has to be accepted by the PhD student’s supervisor and signed by the Head of the department where the Project Investigator is employed, as well as the Head of the department where the research will be carried out.
8. The Research Project Proposal shall be accompanied by mandatory documents that is the ethics questions form and the approval of the Relevant Bioethics Committees with the provision that the date of submitting the approval of the Relevant Bioethics Committee is the start date of the Research Project. Failure to provide the approval of the Relevant Bioethics Committee holds the funding.
9. PhD students obtain financing for Research Projects on the basis of the submitted applications accepted by the Vice Rector for Science and Development. The second original of the Research Project Proposal, signed by the Vice Rector for Science and Development, will be handed over to the PhD student – Principal Investigator.

§ 4

Research Project realization

1. The PhD student is allowed to submit only one Research Project Proposal per year financed from the funds of the ICP Agreement.
2. The Research Project may be continued in the following year, but the Research Project has to be completed at the latest one month before the employment contract ends with the Principal Investigator within the ImPRESS Project at the MUB.
3. The budget for a one-year Research Project in the given year may not exceed the amount of 6000 EUR (25500,60 PLN).
4. The budget for a two-year Research Project may not exceed the amount of 12000 EUR (51001,20 PLN), providing in 2021 the Principal Investigator cannot spend more than 7500 EUR (31875,75 PLN).
5. The Research Project funds that remained unused in the current year budget may be used in the following year if a Research Project Proposal for funding a Research Project continued from the previous year was submitted. In such case, the funds will be added to the annual Research Project budget over the limit of 6000 EUR (25500,60 PLN).
6. If a new Research Project is commenced in the following year, the Research Project funds that remained unused from the Research Project realized in the previous year may, in justified cases and with acceptance of the Vice Rector for Scientific Affairs and Development, be added to the new Research Project budget.
7. Each Research Project expense is realized based on the current legislation and internal MUB procedures.
8. All purchases of supplies, external services and travel within the framework of the Research Project are processed by the MUB, based on the relevant procedures. Application form for purchasing of supplies, external services or travel from the Research Project funds should be submitted to the Office for Development and Evaluation and should be signed by the Principal Investigator and the PhD student’s supervisor. Additional approval is required from the Head of the department employing the Principal Investigator, when purchasing research equipment or a laptop/computer.
9. Expenses has to be related to the Research Project.
10. Research Project funds must not be used for remuneration of the Principal Investigator or other investigators in the Research Project.
11. The Principal Investigator is responsible for timely and proper expenditure of the Research Project funds.
12. All data and planned expenses in the Research Project Proposals are verified and approved by the administrative staff member from the Office for Development and Evaluation.
13. In case of invoices that have not been paid by the end of the Research Project implementation, i.e. by the 31 December of the year in which the Research Project was carried out, it is possible to make a payment in the next year, but no later than 31 of January 2023, what does not exempt from the obligation to submit timely invoices to be paid.

§ 5

Final Project Report and periodic evaluation

1. The Principal Investigator is obliged to submit a Final Project Report to the Vice Rector for Science and Development by 31^st January of the year following the year for which the financing of the Research Project was granted.
2. In case of two-year Research Project or Research Project carried out in 2022 the Principal Investigator is obliged to submit a Final Project Report to the Vice Rector for Science and Development no later than 15 days before the employment contract ends with the Principal Investigator within the ImPRESS Project at the MUB.
3. The Final Project Report should be submitted electronically in editable format (without mandatory signatures) to the email address provided in the Final Project Report form and in one printed original (with mandatory signatures) to the Office for Development and Evaluation.
4. The Final Project Reports are evaluated by the Vice Rector for Science and Development and the Head of the PhD Studies. Positive opinion on the Final Project Report is fundamental to receive funding of further Research Projects.
5. Following the second year of Research Projects realization, the Research Projects are evaluated. The Principal Investigator has to submit to the Vice Rector for Science and Development an opinion of the Head of the department in which the Research Project has been implemented, an opinion of the PhD student supervisor and an opinion of the Head of the PhD studies on the implemented Research Projects , until:
   1. 31 of January 2021, or
   2. 31 of January 2022, is case the Principal Investigator is employed no longer than two years at the MUB.
6. Positive opinions of the mentioned authorities in the § 5 point 5 will be fundamental to receive the approval of the Vice Rector for Science and Development for further funding of Research Projects in 2021 and 2022.
7. Two negative opinions of the authorities indicated in § 5 point 5 of the hereby Regulations result in withholding further funding of Research Projects in 2021 and 2022.
8. In case of two negative opinions, the PhD student supervisor, in cooperation with the Vice Rector for Science and Development and the PhD student, determines a recovery plan concerning concluding and further implementation of the Research Projects.
9. Following the approval by the Vice Rector for Science and Development of the recovery plan concerning concluding and further implementation of the Research Projects, further funding of Research Projects is possible.
10. The Research Project is considered as concluded if the Final Project Report is accompanied by one of the following documents submitted to the Office for Development and Evaluation and accepted by the Vice Rector for Science and Development:
    1. publication in JCR-listed journal or
    2. manuscript ready for publication in JCR-listed journal or
    3. patent (confirmed by a certificate from the Patent Office) or
    4. agreement for invention implementation (confirmed by MUB Technology Transfer Office)
11. Failure to conclude the Research Project as indicated in § 5 point 10 of the hereby Regulations will result in return of funds granted for the Research Project realization.