Research Fund
The Research Fund can be used for:
- Academic mobility: travel grants and inviting visiting academics;
- Hiring research assistants;
- Acquiring research materials, equipment and services.
In order to apply for the Research Fund usage, please follow the links below:
Please get acquainted with the Regulations for Financial Support for Academic Mobility and Research by Faculty Members Hired under the International Recruitment Programme at HSE University. |
Purpose of the Research Fund
HSE University has various services to provide support to effective, high-quality research. If something (e.g., research materials, equipment, services, travel support, research assistance, etc.) cannot be provided through standard procedures, internationally recruited HSE University faculty members (normally tenure-track professors) can apply to receive resources from the Research Fund by providing substantial reasons to receive such support and complying with procurement regulations.
Who is eligible?
Financial support for academic mobility and research can be provided with resources from the Research Fund to internationally recruited HSE University faculty. The maximum amounts available, as well as the terms for allocation from the Research Fund, are stated in individual employment agreements and HSE University’s internal bylaws.
Terms and conditions
- Current year’s Research Fund cannot be transferred to the next calendar year’s budget and vice versa;
- Current year’s expenses cannot be reimbursed from the next calendar year’s budget;
- Financial support cannot be provided within the last 3 months preceding the termination of one’s contract with HSE University;
- Funds are allocated proportionally to the number of months in the current calendar year, i.e. if your contract terminates on August 31, 2024, the sum available for you until the positive outcome of the review is 200 000 rubles (300 000/12 months × 8 months);
- Materials and equipment should be returned to the University after the termination of the contract;
- Please make sure to plan any expenses beforehand and follow the recommended deadlines for submitting applications.
To avoid any misunderstandings, we strongly recommend contacting your coordinator and the International Faculty Support Centre at ifaculty.support@hse.ru before applying to use the Research Fund.
Academic Mobility: Travel Grants, Online Conferences
Travel support can be used to cover:
- per-diems;
- travel;
- accommodation;
- registration fees;
- visa expenses;
- local transportation;
- health insurance.
This type of support is offered to encourage the presentation of ongoing research. HSE University recognizes 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:
- 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;
- 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;
- 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 formalizing a business trip usually takes up to 2 weeks;
- Please make sure that you collect the original copies of the reporting documents;
- 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 a faculty coordinator(s) for assistance.
How to receive a compensation for participating in an online conference:
- A request form should be completed at least 14 days prior to the intended start of an online conference;
- 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;
- An official order of your participation in an online conference is then processed by your coordinator;
- 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.
Academic Mobility: Visiting Academics
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. Furthermore, resources from the HSE University Visiting Scholar can be used to fund academic visits.
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:
- tickets;
- transfer;
- accommodation.
Main steps to fund and organise your colleague's research visit:
- A request form should be completed at least 90 days prior to the intended date of arrival of your colleague;
- 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;
- 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;
- 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;
- 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
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:
- The topic, framework and scope of the research should be discussed with the potential research assistant beforehand;
- A request form should be completed at least 45 days prior the start of the proposed contract, not later than October 15;
- 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;
- A faculty coordinator will process an independent contractor agreement with the research assistant. The process to formalize the contract may take up to 2 weeks;
- 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%).
! Please note that HSE University does not have to pay the taxes for officially self-employed assistants. In such a case the contract sum equals the net sum and the amount extracted from the 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.
Research Materials, Equipment and Services
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 and services |
Request deadlines |
Estimated request processing time |
Responsible HSE University Unit |
Library resources: · e-books (files) and subscriptions to online publications; |
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· print periodicals (other than subscription); · books; |
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· databases (other than subscription); |
2-4 months | ||
IT: · electronic & computer office equipment; · equipment for research; · software. |
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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 formalize the procedure of the purchase:
- A request form should be completed;
- 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;
- 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;
- The responsible Unit purchases the required materials, equipment or services.
Research materials, equipment and services |
Request deadlines |
Estimated request processing time |
Responsible HSE University Unit |
Library resources: · e-books (files) and subscriptions to online publications; |
September 15 |
6 weeks |
HSE Library |
· print periodicals (other than subscription); · books; |
2-4 months | ||
· databases (other than subscription); |
2-4 months | ||
IT: · electronic & computer office equipment; · equipment for research; · software. |
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HSE Information Technology Office |