Project changes

If you want a change of project manager or administrative manager, you must apply for a change of role as soon as possible. You do this via the "Change role" button on My RCN web. This is not part of the application for a project change.

Who can apply for a project change?

The project manager and administrative manager can create and submit project changes. They can also give others access to the project on My RCN web. The persons with this sort of access can only edit the project change.

How to apply for a project change

All dialogue about changes must take place via My RCN web. We are not able to provide a pre-assessment of desired project changes by email or phone.

When you create an application for a project change, we ask you to choose one or more categories that are suitable for the content of the change. It is important that the application is well founded. In addition, we would like your assessment of how the change will contribute to the project's overall progress and goal attainment in the project. When you provide a good justification that shows how the changes affect the project, it is easier for us to assess whether these changes can be approved.

See our guide to how you can apply for project changes (in Norwegian).

What can you apply to have changed?

The call for proposal and the contract set the guidelines for which changes we can approve. Below we have mentioned examples of different types of changes that can occur in a project, and how such changes are handled. The order is the same as the tabs you find in the application form for project change. If there is a need to change several things in the project, you can apply for this at the same time. You can only submit one application for project change in a project at a given time, and it is not possible to create a new application until the previous one has been processed by us.

Changes to the project period and/or progress plan

There can be various reasons why a project wants to extend the project period. If you apply for an extension of the project period, the progress plan and financial tables must be updated.

• If the extension is due to statutory leave of absence or long-term illness of key project participants, we will normally approve this.
• If, for other reasons, there is a need to extend the project period, without the project period being transferred to a new budget year, we will normally approve this.
• If you wish to extend the project period due to activities that are not part of the project, we will normally not approve this. This applies, for example, to postponement in order to finish writing articles or to use up remaining funds for other activities, such as travel, conferences and the like.
  Please note that some projects cannot extend the end date for any reason, this will be stated in the contract.

Finance

The grant from the Research Council must be used as described in the application/contract. The Research Council will cover staff costs in accordance with the lump-sum and hourly rates that applied at the time of application.
We can only approve applications for reallocation of funds when it is necessary to achieve the objectives of the project and the planned project activities. We make an assessment of how this affects the implementation of the project and whether it can be accepted.

• You cannot use the grant from the Research Council to expand the project with other and new activities.
• If you do not use the entire grant one year, we normally approve that these are carried over to later years as long as there are concrete plans for when and how the funds will be used.

You do not need to apply for a project change if there is a need to reallocate funds within the category "Other operating costs".

Fellowship-holders

You must only apply for changes that apply to research fellows who are supported by the Research Council. All research fellowship positions supported by us must comply with the Regulations to the Universities and University Colleges Act.
Changes that apply to research fellows that are not funded by the Research Council can be updated in the progress report.

• If a research fellow is going on statutory leave or a long-term illness occurs for the research fellow that affects the project period, you must report this via an application for change.
• When you have employed a research fellow funded by the Research Council, or if a research fellow leaves before the agreed period of employment, you must submit an application for change.

Partners

Some calls for proposals have special requirements for partners and R&D providers. We cannot accept changes that make you no longer meet this requirement. We consider partners, including R&D providers, to be so important for the implementation of a project that we must give our consent before the partners can be changed. This means that the application for a change of partners must be approved before the actual change takes place.

• If any of the partners in the project leave the project, or you wish to add new ones, this must be applied for and justified. This also applies if a key project participant changes employer and there is a need to change partner.
• If one of the partners goes bankrupt, it is important that you submit an application for change as soon as possible.
• If you apply for changes in partners, you must ensure that all tables and information that affect the partner are updated.

Objectives

In principle, we expect the project to be carried out with the same objectives as described in the application. If unforeseen things arise that make you want to change the goal, this must be applied for as soon as possible.

Project summary

If you apply for changes that affect the project summary, you must update this.

Project Owner

If there is a change of Project Owner, the application must be submitted here. A change of Project Owner cannot be approved if the new Project Owner does not meet the requirements set out in the call.

Uploading of attachments

The field for justification is limited. If you need more writing space, you can upload an attachment in PDF format. Note that you cannot change tables in the attachment, it must be done in the form itself.

You must not upload a new project description.

You cannot change the presentation of popular science here. It changes in connection with progress reporting.

Processing of applications for changes

Once you have submitted an application for project changes to the Research Council, you will see that the status changes to "Received" on My RCN web.
Some changes require a professional assessment, while other changes can be approved administratively.

You can follow the status of the processing on My RCN web. You will receive an email if we need additional information. You will also receive an email when the application for change has been processed.

On My RCN web, you will find an overview of the five most recent applications for project changes to the project.

Change of administrative manager and project manager

You apply to change the administrative manager or project manager on My RCN web under the menu option "Application status" and/or "Projects/reports".

You must notify the Research Council of any change of administrative responsibility. It is the person in charge who leaves who must report the change.

If you wish to change the project manager, this requires the Research Council's approval. It is the project manager who leaves his or her position or the administrative manager who must request a change. State the name of the new project manager with the correct contact information. Click "Send request" and the new project manager will receive an email from you, where he or she will be asked to accept or reject your request for a change of role on My RCN web.

If the request is denied, the project manager/administrative manager must contact the person in question or send a new request to another person.