Policy on Undertakings

Purpose

To ensure that applicants and co-applicants for African Academy of Sciences (AAS) grants and their respective institutional authorities are aware of their expected roles and responsibilities as applicants and as potential AAS grantees.

Policy Statement

It is AAS policy that applicants and co-applicants for AAS grants are required to give undertakings with respect to submission of applications and that institutional authorities in the institutions where the grant project or programme will be carried out accept institutional responsibility and oversight in the overall management of the grant.

Procedure

a) Institutional Authorities who Sign Undertakings

• The Dean of Faculty and the Head of the department where the work will be carried out in the Applicants’ and Co-Applicants’ institutions and the Directors or equivalent in all other institutions that are not Universities.
• The Director of Finance/Finance Officer in the Applicant’s and co-applicant’s institutions

b) Undertakings for Applicants

In order to submit an application to the AAS, the applicants and co-applicants must confirm the following:

• That they have read and understood the AAS Data Protection and Privacy Statement.
• The information in the application is accurate and complete.
• The AAS grant conditions have been read and are acceptable.
• The necessary facilities will be made available to conduct the research, and will continue to be available for the duration of the AAS grant

Agreement to the undertakings is incorporated into the online application process on the AAS Ishango Online Grants Management System (Ishango).

c) Undertakings for Grants

Undertakings for new grants will be executed as outlined in the Acceptance of Grants policy.  Individuals and institutions accepting AAS grants are required to formally accept these grants through an authorised signatory signing the Grants Start Certificate, unless stated otherwise in the Award Letter or Contract

d) Undertakings for Transfer of Grants

If a grant is transferred to a new institution, the undertakings must be signed by all relevant parties.  If a grant is transferred to a new principal investigator at the same institution, the new principal investigator must sign the undertakings.  Processes for transfer of grants, grant managed personnel and grant acquired assets is governed by the AAS Grants and Equipment Transfer Policy. 

e) Exemptions

• Mentors are not required to sign up to the full undertakings but must confirm that they have read and understood the AAS’ Data Protection statement and that the information they have provided in the application is accurate and complete.
• Collaborators are not required to sign the undertakings but must confirm that they are willing to collaborate on the research project.
• Confirmations from mentors and collaborations is given by submission of a signed letter affirming they have read the AAS Data Protection and Privacy and their willingness to collaborate on the project respectively.