Speaker
Description
Introduction
Research contracts departments at Universities are under administrative pressure as a result of the large volume of contracts as well as the complexities surrounding the legal aspects of research contracts. The contracts office plays a critical role in protecting the University by limiting potential and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements. For Stellenbosch University - Reporting to Management and Council is an important consideration as more than 50% of SU’s total income was obtained from third-stream income over the last three years, of which the biggest part (about 85%) is administered by the Research Contracts Office.
SIS Global intends to Present a paper covering our Research Management Solutions in the context of this white paper
The Problem
As a research-intensive institution, Stellenbosch University is dependent on funding from all over the world. 73% of the university’s research contract income is from overseas, and such funding is subject to strict compliance and legislative requirements. However, the university was using a legacy research contract system that was conceived in 2003.
With changes in legislation, the university did not have the technological capabilities to adhere with the South African government’s compliance and reporting requirements.
The solution
SIS Global is both a Unit4 Partner and a Microsoft partner and based on their global expertise recommended appropriate solutions based on their understanding of the university’s requirements. We will deliver a paper which provides an overview of the benefits of our solutions that are focused on the assisting the research community – For Stellenbosch University a new centralised Research Contract Management system was built within Microsoft Dynamics CRM,
The system includes all the fields required by the university to adhere to compliance requirements and report effectively on all new and future legislation from the government and other funders
In future it is possible that the Unit4 Research Management solution developed in conjunction with Oxford and Cambridge Universities will be able to compliment this system and will provide Pre award management along with full project costing and pricing in the future
The benefits
Today, with data that is cleaner and higher quality, better reporting all-round is facilitated with reports presented in easily digestible formats. Everything is housed centrally on the system with no need to collate data from multiple separate sources and many tasks automated.
Business efficiency is dramatically improved by streamlining administrative processes. For instance, in the Department of Science and Technology , tasks that previously took weeks to complete manually now takes minutes on the system,
“Thanks to SIS Global, my dreams of a fully-functioning Research Contract Management system have become reality,” adds Cornelia Malherbe -Director Research contracts, Stellenbosch University
“Without Unit4 Research Costing and pricing , making applications would be like trying to fly a 747 without instruments “ MIS Director and Director of Research services - Universities of Oxford and Cambridge
