Academy of Finland general conditions for funding decisions
30 January 2007
- Support to doctoral programmes and national researcher training courses
- Promotion of research cooperation
- Support to academies and science policy associations
Funding awarded by the Academy of Finland may only be used for the purpose specified in the funding decision. Funding is awarded as a total amount that must no be exceeded. Funding may only be used for costs arising during the funding period.
At universities and in government institutions, the provisions and regulations in force in these as well as the general conditions specified in this appendix shall be complied with in the use, payment and control of research grants.
In case the research grant has been allocated to a private law legal person or a municipality, the provisions of the Act on Discretionary Government Transfers (688/2001) as well as the general conditions specified in this appendix shall be complied with.
If the Academy has set a condition, specified in the decision notification, for the awarding of the funding, it must be adhered to.
Support to doctoral programmes and national researcher training courses
Research grants may be used for purposes of covering travel costs and salaries of teachers coming from outside the host university and, where necessary, travel costs of doctoral students, both at home and abroad, if not otherwise stated in the decision notification. Research grants may also be used for coordination costs and for costs of national and international cooperation of doctoral programmes.
Promotion of research cooperation: international scientific conferences and national scientific seminars
The research grant is intended, if not otherwise stated in the decision notification, primarily for travel costs of invited foreign lecturers, and for lecture fees, rents for premises, secretarial and postal costs.
The final amount awarded for purposes of arranging an international scientific conference is usually no more than 30 per cent of the conference's total expenses. If the conference's final accounts show that its revenues exceed its expenses, the proportion corresponding to Academy funding in the surplus shall be returned.
Promotion of research cooperation: preparation of international joint research projects
The research grant is intended for preparation of a research project and for meetings as well as to those participating in preparatory meetings and to coordinators for costs arising from project preparation.
Academies and science policy associations
The research grant is intended for costs arising from the association's publishing activity.
Starting to use funding/granting state subsidies
The Academy confirms for state administration organisations (universities, government research institutes) directly, without separate request, the research grant and budget account to be used; the organisation, i.e. the accounting office, enters the budget account in its own bookkeeping.
Other than state administration organisations invoice the funding from the Academy at least on a quarterly basis. A specification for the basis for invoicing shall be appended to the invoice. The last instalment of the calendar year shall be invoiced by January 10 the following year.
Reporting
Support to doctoral programmes and national researcher training courses as well as promotion of research cooperation
The recipient of the research grant shall submit and draft a research report to the Academy no later than 15 June of the year following the end of the funding period. For separate guidelines for reporting, see www.aka.fi/ For researchers > Reporting.
Accounting offices shall report on the use of funds, indicating the income and expenses of the activity funded by the Academy in the budget year, accrued from the beginning of the year on a quarterly basis. For the first three quarters, the income and expenses shall be reported no later than the 20th of the month following the quarter. For the fourth quarter, the income and expenses shall be reported no later than 31 January of the year following the reporting year.
Other than state administration organisations shall submit an account report via the Academy's online services within three months from the termination of the funding period.
Promotion of research cooperation: international scientific conferences and national scientific seminars
The recipient of the research grant shall draft and submit a research report to the Academy no later than 15 June of the year following the termination of the funding period. For separate guidelines for reporting, see www.aka.fi/ > For researchers > Reporting.
The recipient of the research grant shall submit an account report via the Academy's online services within three months from the termination of the funding period.
Data to be given in the account report
Expenditure
Costs of fees including social charges of foreign lecturers
Travel costs of foreign lecturers
Rental costs
Secretarial costs
Postal costs
Other salary and fee costs
Supplies and material
External services
Other direct consumption costs
Total
Revenues
Subsidy from the Academy
Other state subsidies
Other subsidies
From the organiser's own funds
Participation fees
Other revenues
Total
Academies and science policy associations
The recipient of a state subsidy shall submit an account report via the Academy's online services and the annual report, the annual accounts and a copy of the auditors' report to the Registrar's Office of the Academy no later than 30 April.
Data to be given in the account report
Expenditure of publishing activity to be supported
Salary and fee costs
Material costs
Printing costs
Circulation costs
Other direct consumption costs
Total
Revenues of publishing activity to be supported
Subsidy from the Academy
Other state subsidies
Other subsidies
From the association's own funds
Subscription, sales and other revenues
Total
Control and discontinuation and recovery of funds
The Academy has the right to monitor and control the use of funds it has granted as well as to carry out any inspections of the recipient's finances and activities that may be necessary for the control of the use of the funds. The Academy also has the right to carry out inspections of the implementation, accounting and observance of the conditions set in the funding decision. The recipient of the funding is obliged to submit all necessary accounting and other documents and data for the use of the inspector and to assist in the inspection. The recipient of the funding shall also otherwise on request give the Academy information on the research and on the use of the funds.
The recipient of the funding must without delay notify the Academy of any change affecting the use of the funds. Other income and subsidies of the activity receiving funding may affect the amount of the support from the Academy. The Academy Registrar's office must without delay be notified of any other income and subsidies received after the submission of the application.
The Academy may interrupt or order the payment of the funds to be terminated or recover the funds of part of them, if the recipient of the funding has used the funds for a purpose other than the purpose for which it was granted; or presented erroneous or misleading information regarding a fact which has affected the granting of the funding, its amount, or its conditions; or otherwise violated the regulations concerning the use of the funds or the conditions incorporated into the funding decision.
The recipient of the state subsidy shall without delay return to the Academy of Finland's bank account 166030-112337 any funding, or any portion of funding, received erroneously, in excess or evidently without grounds. If the amount to be returned does not exceed ten euros, it need not be returned.
In case the income and subsidies of the activity receiving support in the final accounts show that its revenues exceed its expenses, the proportion corresponding to Academy funding in the surplus shall be returned.
Repayment and claw-back of discretionary government transfers has been stipulated in Chapter 5 of the Act on Discretionary Government Transfers.
Application of conditions
These conditions are to be applied as from 1 January 2007.
The general conditions for funding are revised annually. The valid, revised general conditions and more information on the application of the conditions are available at www.aka.fi/ > For researchers > Use of funding > General conditions of financing.
Further information
Questions regarding funding decisions and conditions of funding can be made via the Questions and feedback section on the Academy's website www.aka.fi/eng.