Published on 25 March 2022
Export Sanctions Against Russia
On 1 March 2022, the UK government issued additional sanctions on Russia, which expand sanctions that have been in place since 31 July 2014. The full statutory guidance on the new sanctions is available on the GOV.UK website.
This includes sanctions on designated persons (incl. immigration sanctions), financial sanctions, import restrictions and transport sanctions. They also include export restrictions and prohibitions that build on existing export controls. Contravening or circumventing these sanctions is a criminal offence.
The export sanctions include prohibitions and restrictions on:
- The export to Russia of military or dual use goods, software and technology
- The provision of technical assistance that enables or facilitates the conduct of certain military activity
- The export to Russia of certain goods and technology for use in the energy sector, particularly for off-shore drilling and exploration
- The export to Russia of certain 'critical industry' goods and technology and aviation and space goods and technology
- The export to Crimea of infrastructure-related exports
For more information on the sanctions, including a detailed briefing document on the new controls, see the University's Export Control website.
Members of the University who are planning to export items, software, technology or technical assistance to Russia or Crimea should consider the University's guidance and take advice from researchgovernance@admin.cam.ac.uk and importexporthub@admin.cam.ac.uk.
UKRI Funder Assurance Programme Audit
The University has been informed of the outcome of the recent UKRI Funder Assurance Programme Audit and has received LIMITED assurance. Systematic issues were identified in relation to Directly Incurred staff costs (RGC 14e) which requires all individuals who do not work 100% of their contracted time on one UKRI funded project, to complete timesheets in a timely manner in order for their employment costs to be treated as Directly Incurred.
The University is required to implement suitable controls for ensuring the timely completion of timesheets, across all UKRI funded awards by 30 June 2022. In the meantime, the University can only charge Directly Incurred staff costs (for those individuals who are required to complete timesheets) to projects where they can demonstrate that timesheets for the relevant individuals have been completed and signed-off in a timely manner.
If you have any queries please contact CROCompliance@admin.cam.ac.uk.
New fEC Rates for 2022
Please be advised that X5 has been updated with the new fEC rates for 2022, which this year are applicable from 9th March 2022. (The University’s TRAC Return was successfully submitted to the Office for Students on the 8th March 2022). The increase in the rates reflects a return to levels anticipated pre-COVID, including less pessimistic forecasts of Group financial performance, alongside forecast increases in energy costs, and a change in the nature of fEC calculations redistributing costs from Estates-lab to Indirect categories.
- Users of X5 will need to update their costings (go to the Rates Tab / FEC rate file / Facilities Rates File / Inflation File select the new date and save or use the Apply all updated files now option).
Also be aware that after updating the Facilities rates file
- The funder budget headings in the Facilities tab have been removed and will need to be re-entered
- Facilities using ‘Variable rates’ have defaulted to 0.01. Users will need to change this figure back to previously agreed rate
- Facilities that are no longer available should be replaced by a new or similar facility
If you have any queries about the updates, please contact your Research Development Team at the Research Operations Office.
Horizon Europe Guarantee Funding
On Monday 14th March 2022, the UK Government announced an extension of the guarantee to a second wave of eligible, successful applicants. In a letter to the UK research and development sector, the Minister for Science, Research and Innovation explains that the guarantee will provide a financial safety net for successful UK applicants to Horizon Europe.
This guarantee covers all eligible, current applications to calls where researchers are expect to sign grant agreements during 2022. In order to receive UKRI guarantee funding, researchers for the following schemes should liaise with the EU and International Team at ROO and apply to the UKRI portal by these deadlines
- EIC 2001 – 31st March 2022
- EIT KIC activities in 2021 – 21st April 2022
From 17th March 2022, UKRI opened applications for guarantee funding as part of the first wave of calls for ERC Starting Grants. For successful applicants in the second wave (including MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship of 2021) and 2022 EIT KICs, guarantee funding applications are expected to be opened from May 2022.
We are aware of the successful applicants who are eligible for the UKRI Guarantee (including MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship of 2021) and we will be in touch with researchers once the UKRI funding application guidelines are available. Owing to some very specific requirements in completing the UKRI re-submissions, we urge applicants to liaise with the ROO team to ensure that the correct process is undertaken. We are prioritising re-submissions to UKRI in line with the deadline schedule and any queries to us concerning the second wave projects and MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships will be responded to in due course.
Reminder - Revised Application Deadlines from 1st April 2022
- Departments are required to give ROO a minimum of 4 weeks’ notice of the intention to submit an application
- Standard Application Process: applications must be received by ROO at least 5 working days before the funder deadline
- Small Application Process: applications must be received by ROO at least 2 working days before the funder deadline. These are not checked by ROO.
- Clinical Trials: applications involving Clinical Trials must be received at least 3 weeks before the funder deadline
In exceptional cases where the deadlines are not met, the Head of Department can request dispensation, which must be received with the full application, at least 2 working days before the funder deadline. Further details about these changes are available on the ROO website.
The Principal Investigator Programme – New Dates
The Principal Investigator Programme has been developed to help researchers with their responsibilities of managing a grant. Two more dates have been added to the programme
| Thursday 28th April 2022, 12:30-13:30 | Export Control - understand your responsibilities for compliance and know where to get support |
| Thursday 5th May 2022, 12:15-13:30 | Grant Writing with Impact - find out how to maximise the chance of being funded by knowing how applications are assessed, what’s important to the funder and setting the tone of your writing style. |
Prior to the live event session, participants need to watch the narrated presentation which can be found on the Principal Investigator Programme page along with details of how to book your place.