3.5.1: Policy on Consultancy
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Minutes of the Governing Council/ Syndicate/ Board of Management related to Consultancy Policy | View Document |
Policy Document on Consultancy | |
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Policy on Consultancy
The Institution has a policy on consultancy including
revenue sharing between the institution and the individual/ agency
Write description in maximum of 500 words
Consultancy is considered to be one type
of enterprise activity and is recognized as a valuable mechanism for
facilitating knowledge and technology transfer through which the organization
believes it can contribute to creating economic and social impact.
The purpose of consultancy policy is to
set out the principles and procedures governing consultancy services and other
outside services undertaken by teaching and non-teaching staff members of the
University.
Consultancy is well recognized as an
effective way to disseminate knowledge, expertise of the human resources,
available physical resources and make it available for an early and direct
impact on society.
This Policy provides provisions for
conducting consultancy to ensure that consultancies undertaken by staff are
consistent with the University’s strategic and operational objectives and the
costs are sustainable.
Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open
University is committed to making its expertise available through service to
various industries, academics, government, other educational institutions and
research organizations.
Objective: To establish a framework to support consultancy
activities under various schools and departments at the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar
Open University.
The Policy: All Research and Non-research
consultancies as described in this Policy are governed by the following guiding
principles:
a.
There should be demonstrable benefit to the University from the
consultancy through income, enhanced reputation, and/or expanding the expertise
of the staff member.
b.
The Consultancy must not be in conflict with University policies
including those governing employment;
c.
The Consultancy must not be in conflict with the functions,
objectives or interests of the University or damage the University's
reputation.
d.
At a minimum, the salary and on-cost charges set by the University
must be applied to all project budgets. All Consultancies are required to
include overheads.
e.
Officers / Staff members shall not undertake external research
activities where no formal agreement has been sanctioned by the University
unless they are on leave without pay, approved by the director concerned. Such
faculty may not use their BAOU affiliation or academic title when providing
research services that are not permitted by the University.
University
Research Consultancy: A Research Consultancy exists where an academic staff member
provides research skills or expertise in return for remuneration from an
external funder. A Research Consultancy may be the outcome of a tender or an
individual negotiation.
University
Non-research Consultancy: Non-research
Consultancies include non-research activities performed under contract for a
third party. Non-research Consultancy would include the provision of
professional services to external agencies for a fee. This would include, but
not be limited to, routine activities of specialization of schools or
departments i.e. analysis of data such as market surveys, opinion surveys etc.,
the provision of professional services such as designing, development of
applications, preparation of DPR for an entrepreneur by members of faculty and
staff.
Private
Consultancy: In Principle a faculty or
staff member is not supposed to undertake a Private Consultancy unless it is
approved by the Director of the School and the Registrar. However, the faculty
or staff conducting private consultancy shall ensure that such work does not
affect their allocated duties, obligations to the university.
None of the benefits set out for
University Consultancy are available to faculty and staff undertaking a Private
Consultancy.
It is the responsibility of the staff
member undertaking a Private Consultancy to make clear to the person or body
for which the Private Consultancy is undertaken that it is the staff member and
not the University who is carrying out the work, and that the University has no
responsibility or liability whatsoever in the matter. A staff member conducting
a Private Consultancy must ensure that the following criteria are met:
a.
The carrying out of tasks associated with the Private Consultancy
will be accomplished without unduly affecting the duties of the position;
b.
The use of University trademarks such as letterheads, brands etc.
or University intellectual property is strictly prohibited in Private
Consultancies;
c.
No University facility (including library resources, power, space,
equipment, consumables and telephone and or internet facilities) will be used
to fulfil the requirements of the Private Consultancy
d.
The Private Consultancy is not within an area in which the
University might be contracting to provide a service on a commercial basis,
possibly utilizing the skills of the staff member involved;
e.
University is not bound by any agreement (written or otherwise)
relating to the Private Consultancy;
f.
The staff member agrees to indemnify the university and its
representatives from and against all actions, claims, loss, damage, costs,
charges, liabilities and demands arising directly or indirectly from or in
respect of the Private Consultancy activity; and
g.
The staff member declares any real or potential conflict of
interest to their manager.
Staff Entitlements: The University allows staff to
engage in Research, Non-research and/or Private Consultancies provided they do
not interfere with the discharge of their duties. Consultancies shall be
undertaken only with the approval of the designated Director of School. No
limit is placed on earnings. However there is a limit on the time spent on
Consultancy.
1.
Academic Staff may spend one day per week on approved
Consultancies, with a maximum of 48 days per year. Variations to this time
commitment require the approval by the Director concerned. A lesser time
commitment may be approved when the proposed Consultancy interferes with the
discharge of responsibilities.
2.
Directors must obtain written permission from the Vice-Chancellor
to undertake Consultancies.
3.
All Consultancies are required to include overheads.
4.
The revenue generated from the consultancy project is shared by
the member and the university in a 70:30 ratio after deducting the overheads
and all other expenses met by the university.
5.
If more than one member takes up the consultancy project the 70%
amount shall be shared equally.
Approval: All University approved Consultancies are
required to be approved and managed in accordance with this Policy, associated
documents, and other University policies.
Intellectual Property
Any
intellectual property arising from any Research and Non-research Consultancies
will be governed by the Intellectual Property Policy.
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