Research Fund

Travel support can be used to cover:

1. per diems;
2. travel;
3. accommodation;
4. registration fees;
5. visa expenses;
6. local transportation;
7. health insurance.

This type of support is offered to encourage the presentation of ongoing research. HSE University recognises that participation in international conferences, seminars and projects that requires travel for collaboration with co-authors on articles, books or other joint research is important in order to publish results in top peer-reviewed scientific journals and the global academic press.

Please make sure that you include correct affiliation with HSE University in papers and presentations. If you are in any doubt on the right way to do this, please visit this page.

For more information, please visit Business Trips web page and see Business Travel Regulations of National Research University Higher School of Economics.

How to fund your business trip: Business Trip Regulations at HSE University 

1. A request form should be completed at least 30 days prior to the intended date of travel. Please make sure to receive a confirmation of your business trip plans from your supervisor and an official invitation letter from the inviting party. These documents are strictly needed for a request form;
2. The International Faculty Support Centre will consult with the Accounting Office and confirm whether the required amount of funding corresponds to the available budget of the Research Fund;
3. A travel assignment form is then processed by a faculty coordinator. Based on this document, a business trip directive can be issued. The process for formalising a business trip usually takes up to 2 weeks;
4. Please make sure that you collect the original copies of the reporting documents;
5. The reporting documents (with a translation into Russian) shall be submitted to the Accounting Office as soon as possible after the staff member’s return – preferably on the day of their arrival. The official deadline for submitting the documents for reimbursement to the Accounting Office is within 3 business days after returning from a business trip. Please contact faculty coordinator(s) for assistance.

How to receive a compensation for participating in an online conference: 

1. A request form should be completed at least 14 days prior to the intended start of an online conference;
2. The International Faculty Support Centre will consult with the Accounting Office and confirm whether the required amount of funding corresponds to the available budget of the Research Fund;
3. An official order of your participation in an online conference is then processed by your coordinator;
4. You receive a certificate of attendance and submit it in a set of documents to HSE University Accounting Office (invoice, bank statement, expenses report).

Please take a note that online conference fees cannot be reimbursed during annual or sabbatical leave. 

An internationally recruited HSE University faculty member (tenure-track and tenured) can invite academics for research-oriented visits to HSE University by using the resources of the Research Fund. 

Since the main purpose of such visits is research, visitors are expected to present and discuss their current and/or recent research with HSE faculty members, as well as collaborate with them as co-authors. The expected outcome should be the publication of research results in English in international peer-reviewed journals with a high impact factor.

The following expenses can be covered:

1. tickets;
2. transfer;
3. accommodation.

Main steps to fund and organise your colleague's research visit:

1. A request form should be completed at least 90 days prior to the intended date of arrival of your colleague;
2. The International Faculty Support Centre will consult with the Accounting Office and confirm whether the required amount of funding corresponds to the available budget in the Research Fund;
3. A faculty coordinator will help to arrange a visa invitation, travel and accommodation support for the invited academic. Please bear in mind that funding cannot be allocated from the Research Fund to cover accommodation at HSE University Guest Houses;
4. A faculty coordinator will arrange an independent contractor agreement between HSE University and the organization responsible for booking and purchasing tickets and accommodation, and arranging transfers;
5. All reporting documents and other documents in line with procurement procedures rules shall be submitted to the Accounting Office within the appropriate timelines.

Research assistants can help tenure-track and tenured HSE University faculty members to carry out original research intended for publication in international peer-reviewed scientific journals. Research assistants should work under their mentors’ supervision.

Internationally recruited HSE University faculty members are welcome to recruit research assistants among graduate and undergraduate students at HSE, HSE junior researchers and managers of laboratories and research centres.

How to hire a research assistant:

1. The topic, framework and scope of the research should be discussed with the potential research assistant beforehand;
2. A request form should be completed at least 45 days prior the start of the proposed contract, not later than October 15;
3. The International Faculty Support Centre shall consult with the Accounting Office and confirm whether the required amount of funding corresponds to the available budget for the Research Fund;
4. A faculty coordinator will process an independent contractor agreement with the research assistant. The process may take up to 2 weeks;
5. The research assistant will receive reimbursement in accordance with an acceptance-delivery certificate. 

Please mind that reimbursement can only be transferred to a bank card of the 'MIR' ("МИР") payment system.

What amount will be deducted from the Research Fund?

The amount spent on remuneration + Unified Social Tax (30%). 

What amount shall a research assistant receive?

After-tax remuneration depends on a research assistant’s tax residency status:

• Russian residents – 13%;
• non-residents – 30%;
• officially self-employed – 0%.

Self-employment status is a special tax status that enables a person to legally engage in a professional activity in Russia. If the research assistant is self-employed, they receive remuneration without deduction of taxes and pay personal income tax on their own. Thus the amount mentioned in the contract should be paid in full to the assistant. The same amount is deducted from your Research Fund.

How many research assistants can be hired?

There are no restrictions with respect to the number of research assistants, provided that resources are available in the Research Fund.

If HSE University is not in possession of certain materials, equipment or services required for research activities, an internationally recruited HSE University tenure-track or tenured faculty member can submit a request for their purchase as per Russian legislation and HSE University’s internal bylaws.

The expenses on most online services (Zoom, Dropbox, etc.) are not reimbursed, as it cannot be proved that the applicant used them for academic purposes only.

Please make sure that you consult the responsible HSE University unit and the Accounting Office.

We recommend planning expenses well in advance because purchase and reimbursement procedure are time-consuming. If needed, you may contact a faculty coordinator for assistance.

Research materials, equipment or services shall be purchased via the responsible HSE University unit with resources from the Research Fund. The procedure can take up to 3-6 months in compliance with procurement regulations.

To formalise the procedure of the purchase: 

1. A request form should be completed;
2. The International Faculty Support Centre will consult with the Accounting Office and confirm whether the required amount of funding corresponds to the available budget of the Research Fund;
3. A faculty coordinator shall draw up a memo for the head of the responsible Unit to review. It must indicate the necessity of the purchased materials, equipment and services for the specified research;
4. The responsible Unit purchases the required materials, equipment or services.