Hvordan administreres AGRO's basis midler?

The departments basic funds consist of four parts, the grant from the ministry, AU basic funds, funds related to our educations and overhead from external projects. In the following, we will introduce how these funds are used in the department. In practice it is impossible to distinguish which kind of funds pay.

Annual wheel for follow-up on staffing

To ensure follow-up on staffing plans in AGRO, the management team and the project controllers will have four meetings per year with each section leader / unit leader.

There will be short minutes from the meetings to follow up on.

The meeting will be in January, and have focus on:

  • Imbalances in staffing
  • Need for new positions.

The meeting in April, and the focus will be on

  • New projects that start this year and potential consequence
  • Relocation of personnel on projects.

The meeting in June, and the focus will be on

  • Status and imbalances
  • Lack of hiring
  • Investments and other costs.

The meeting in November, and the focus will be on next years:

  • Imbalances in staffing
  • Need for new positions
  • Investments and other costs.

Research sections

The need for funds for training, IT equipment, etc. varies from year to year. Therefore, the following is based on funds being shared within the unit.

Management

Funds are set aside for section leadership in each research section. In basic 3-5 months for section leadership depending on size.

IT equipment

DKK 5,000 is set aside per employee per 1 January to cover expenses for the purchase of computers, mobile phones, tablets, etc.

Master and bachelor students can be offered a used computer if they need access to the network.

Various

In each section, DKK 7,000 is set aside per employee per 1 January, except for PhD students. This is to cover expenses, such as courses, non-locatable travel expenses, etc.

Journal editor, committee posts

Editors of recognized journals at a certain level can get up to 1 month per year, provided the journal does not pay a fee to the individual. This is based on an estimate based on the workload.

Committee positions are covered by the section account and indirect time. You can apply for department funds for committee positions with a large workload.

Please inform head.agro@au.dk.

Coordinator of large applications

Up to three scientific staff months can be granted. For EU applications it is recommended to apply for EUopSTART funds

Please apply via head.agro@au.dk.

Action coordinator for at the policy support agreement

One month is set aside per area of action for coordination.

Laboratory account

There is a laboratory account in Foulum (JORNÆR) and Flakkebjerg (CGB); the accounts cover the entire location. This account should cover costs for safety management, general repairs of laboratory equipment and purchases. A decision is made every year on the order of magnitude of the operating part of the project in connection with the internal projects. In addition procurement and depreciation is also budgeted here.

Each permanent laboratory assistants/technicians gets about 0.5 month for general aspects(cleaning, courses, etc.) around the laboratory. In addition to this staff with purchase tasks or union representatives can apply for up to 0.5 month.

Field Equipment Account

An account is set up for investments in field equipment (JORD) The account covers the entire department and grants from the account will have to be approved by the department management. Also here procurement and depreciation is budgeted here.

​​​​​​​Co-financing and overhead (OH) for external applications

The budgeting forms from Economy must be used in connection with applications: (https://aarhusuniversitet.sharepoint.com/sites/Nat-TechkonomiApplication/Shared%20Documents/Forms/AllItems.aspx). If applying funds where OH is below 30%, Step 1 is to get the approval from the head of department to go into this project. Step 2 is then to fill in the form and get this approved by economy. After this approval the form and any signature sheets should be sent to the head of department (head.agro@au.dk) for final approval/signature.

Grant-sponsored activity (research)

If the grantor requires co-financing; then up to 10% of applications can be co-financed from the department. All co-financing above 10% must be agreed with the head of department (head.agro@au.dk) before start up of the application. It is expected that co-financing can be found from ongoing projects if possible.

Commercial activity (consulting)

All requested tasks from companies or public authorities are basically income funded enterprise (IV). Here we calculate a higher OH-% (on salary only) + EBIT. From 2025 onwards you can use the above form for calculating the budget. Such tasks might also be part of the quality management system and therefore, the task must be coordinated with DCA and registered there.

Collaboration agreements

There must be collaboration agreements and contracts on all projects where partners outside AU are involved. AGRO currently has special collaboration agreements regarding research projects with SEGES and the Danish Plant Protection Agency, which means that they can enter as a grant-sponsored company instead of a commercial activity. If there is a need for other collaboration agreements Technology Transfer Office (TTO) should be involved.

Please find current paradigms from TTO for collaboration agreements here https://medarbejdere.au.dk/administration/forskning-talent/erhvervssamarbejde/samarbejdsaftaler/fast-track-agreements/. If you need changes for these contracts please involve TTO.

TTO might also be able to help small companies to understand the agreements to a certain degree.

​​​​​​​Internal projects

The department management invites proposals for internal funded projects when needed.

These project proposals must contain a description, expected return to the department, budget for staffing, and other operations. Forms for applying can be obtained from the menu at the right and must be returned to head.agro@au.dk. After receiving the application, a decision about the application will be taken at the department management level.

The secretariat reports grants to Economy Center (ØC), and all changes must also go through management.

These projects can also be used as co-finance to external projects.

PhD

In AGRO, PhD students should be fully externally financed. The Tech faculty offers a finishing bonus for external funded PhD projects. The bonus is given on the basis of the PhD financing plans, and these plans must be filled in by the Project leader in collaboration with the Project controller and the Head of Department must approve afterwards. This must be done before the position is posted. The bonus is given to the department two years after the PhD student has defended the thesis.

The granted tuition fee from the external project, where the PhD students salary is paid from, will be transferred to the department. 

Each section has a PhD project, where each student has a line (Sagsopgavelinje). Costs for GSTS, courses, travel related to the study, computers, supervision and other costs related to the study should be held from the section PhD project (within the budget).

The department will fund with 50,000 DKK for a “wet” PhD and 30,000 DKK for a “dry” PhD each year (per person year), plus the 30,000 DKK for GSTS.

The project leader/supervisor must send a suggestion for budget (at the Excel here) within the limits for the whole study (supervision time, tuition fee or operational costs) to head.agro@au.dk according to wet/dry on the attached Excel. After the budget is approved by management, it is submitted to economy by the secretariat.

Visiting PhD students must be paid from their home institution and contribute to the research at AGRO. Additional expenses/guidance must be covered via the supervisor's external projects.

* Wet - projects involving lab or field work
** Dry - projects not involving lab or field work

Educations

Teaching time and tutor time are budgeted according to guidelines drawn up by the department management and the department’s education committee (see here).

These expenses are posted to a joint project for the entire department, for Agrobiologi in Aarhus. And one for Plant and Food Sciences at AU-Viborg.

To get a better coverage for the educations, please look for external funds to support special equipment, study trips, etc. for our students. Make sure to apply for these.

Field trial, semifield and electronics workshop

Each permanent employeed technician gets about 0.5 month for general aspects(cleaning, courses, etc.) around the unit. In addition to this, staff with purchase tasks or union representatives can apply for up to 0.5 month.

Management

Leader of research stations can have allocated time for management:

  • 12 months to Flakkebjerg,
  • 12 months to MARK-Jylland and
  • 3 months to Askov

per year to the units' management, this is estimated in relation to the number of employees and complexity in the unit.

Other costs

Funding for IT and courses and travel for the employees in the unit will be given according to the rules for research sections. Upon application, an amount is set aside for the field units. This is for preparing/maintaining facilities.

Investments

Priority investment plans (>DKK 100,000) are drawn up for laboratories (Flakkebjerg and Foulum), field equipment and the field units. The plans are updated annually and presented to the department management for approval.

Common expenses

The department pays expenses such as rent and the joint administration.

Expenses for telephone subscriptions for employees are also covered by the department, if it is not project related.

DKK 200 per employee for fruit schemes per year.

DKK 200 per employee for staff associations per year.

In connection with work related occasions receptions are covered, cf. AU's guidelines.

Events, excursions and team building in AGRO

For the events, there must be a relevant professional/academic/social content for the department to cover these costs. Working hours for a the arrangements mentioned below will be a standard day of 7 hours and 24 minutes.

Types of arrangements

One-day meetings

The section can cover expenses for morning coffee, lunch (sandwiches and soft drinks) and afternoon coffee/fruit, cf. AU's rules regarding internal meetings.

Excursions

The units can choose to have individual excursions. The sections must finance the costs themselves. Only costs for transport, professional input and catering can be covered, cf. the above rules.

Team building

If the unit wish to have a team-building trip, a program must be scheduled.

It is mandatory for the unit employees to attend, and individual cancellation are agreed with the section leader. The units must cover the costs themselves.

Driving in own car

It is possible for individual employees to get a general driving authorization. AGRO looks at the need – i.e. employees who can demonstrate a driving requirement, like leadership roles on more locations, teaching at other locations. The head of department issues permits to relevant employees, and requests must be sent to head.agro@au.dk.

Settlement of expenses and reimbursement

On your settlement in RejsUd the following must always be evident:

  • Detailed occasion for the settlement in the settlement name e.g. "meeting/conference regarding AU Strategy"
  • Correct project and activity number
  • Correct cost types
  • Specified invoices/receipts issued for AU

For more information see here: Four important requirements for settlements