New system will provide a complete overview of applications for funding from foundations
From 1 September 2016, all researchers at Health must register their applications for external funding in the ReAp research database.
At AU, all applications for external funding must be registered. Until now, the individual department has been responsible for deciding how to live up to this requirement. In future, all researchers at Health must register in the same manner and in the same system.
ReAp is an important tool
"It is no secret that we must succeed in attracting more external grants in the future. Part of this process involves implementing ReAp, which is able to keep track of our application activities and will give us greater insight into factors such as volume and rate of success," says Vice-dean for Research Ole Steen Nielsen.
He admits that for some researchers the registration will be an extra requirement in an already lengthy process.
"I am aware that we are now placing an administrative task on the researchers. But we are standing on a burning platform with declining revenues from external funding and less public funding to apply for. Everyone has an interest in strengthening our efforts when it comes to working on applications for funding from foundations," says Ole Steen Nielsen.
All departments at Science and Technology (ST) already use ReAp, and their experience shows that it takes 5-10 minutes to enter data into the system.
We can improve our budgets and target our efforts
Registration in ReAp can provide the department heads and financial staff with better prerequisites for preparing realistic budgets.
"We also expect to get a more detailed insight into the success rate for our applications for funding from foundations. With data extracts from ReAp, the departments, CESU and SUSA will be able to see exactly which foundations have provided successful funding and which most often reject their applications. This means that we will be able to work more strategically with research applications. We must ensure that we utilise our time and effort properly," says Ole Steen Nielsen.
Department heads can set a minimum threshold
ReAp replaces local guidelines for registration of applications for funding from foundations. The department head may, however, choose to draw-up additional guidelines for a minimum threshold for registration of funding applications and procedures within the ReAp framework by agreement with the dean.
The individual researcher is responsible for registration in ReAp unless otherwise agreed with the department head. Funding applications sent before 1 September 2016 do not need to be entered in ReAp.
The faculty management team will evaluate the registration in ReAp after three months.
How and when to begin
As of 1 September 2016, you are required to use ReAp, which can be accessed via a link that you will receive in your email inbox within the coming days. The link is department-specific and cannot be shared across the faculty.
This same email will also contain guidelines on how to use the system. If you have not received the email, you should contact the secretariat manager at your department.
Find out more about ReAp
ReAp is a system that is designed to register applications for funding from foundations. It has been specifically developed for the departments at ST by Associate Professor Anders Møller, who is employed at the Department of Computer Science.
The system is:
- A web-based project management tool.
- Easy to use. It typically takes 5-10 minutes to enter an application in the system.
- In English.
- Developed, tested and implemented at ST (with approx.5,000 applications in the system at present).
- A tool to provide an overview of the department’s and faculty’s financial situation.
- Available to researchers, department heads, controllers, and project finance administrators, though the individual researcher can only view his or her own applications in the system.
The aim of ReAp is partly to ensure correct registration of applications for funding from foundations, and partly to create an overview of external funding at faculty and departmental level, including:
- To ensure a prudent portfolio of applications for the individual researcher.
- To support the dialogue between department head and researcher.
- To secure financial data with a view to good financial management at faculty and departmental level.
- To enable the faculty to meet the financial and statistical requirements laid down by the senior management team for increased focus on the ability to attract external funding.
You can find your specific departmental link and the guidelines for the system on Health's website.
Further information
Vice-dean for Research Ole Steen Nielsen
Aarhus University, Health
Direct tel.: (+45) 8715 2008
Mobile: (+45) 2476 5093
Email: osn@au.dk