In this post, Rosie Maccagnano, UK Research Funding Manager in Edinburgh Research Office shares our guidance on Due Diligence with Overseas Research Partners and highlights the support available from the University.
A number of funders, including UKRI, require research organisations that are involved in partnering with overseas organisations to have policies and processes in place to enable risk-based due diligence (DD).
Our guidance on Due Diligence with Overseas Research Partners will give you all the information that you need to understand why it needs to take place, the process to follow and what to do if any concerns are raised.
Where high risk concerns remain, there is an established University of Edinburgh process for escalation. The first stage is always to seek suitable mitigating actions in discussion with the PI; the Head of your School or Centre, and the Director of Edinburgh Research Office. Generally, a suitable mitigation, or set of mitigations, will be agreed and therefore a way to proceed is found. However, if significant risk remains then the case will be referred to the University’s Income Due Diligence Group for final decision.
As Univerity of Edinburgh lead PI, your Research Funding Specialist will liaise with you and your overseas partner(s) to collate the required information for this process, and by understanding this system you will be better able to prepare your own research team and your research partners when putting together your research application.
Read the resource: Due Diligence with Overseas Research Partners (University of Edinburgh access only)
