Sponsored research and collaboration agreements (SRAs) govern various research partnerships between the university and external research sponsors. These agreements describe the obligations of the parties, including a description of the project, timelines, financial support, eligible expenses and beyond. These agreements formally outline the obligations of each party and typically include the following.
- Project description, scope and duration
- Eligible expenses
- Budget commitments and payment schedule
- Reports, milestones, and deliverables
- Confidentiality, intellectual property, publication rights, and other considerations
All SRAs must be reviewed by the Innovations & Partnerships Office (IPO) or the Research Services Office (RSO).
To submit a request for an SRA, U of T faculty members should complete the following steps.
- Log into the My Research (MR) system using their UTORid credentials
- Create and submit a My Research Applications (MRA) record to initiate the process
Once the approved MRA has been received, a VPRI staff member will initiate the SRA negotiation process. If an SRA template has not been provided, the university will use the standard U of T Sponsored Research and Collaboration agreement template. SRA templates provided by a third party, along with relevant documentation, can be submitted through My Research Applications (MRA)
Following the execution of the research agreement, all project participants will be expected to complete a Confidential Information & Intellectual Property (CIIP) Agreement.
When working with industry, when should I contact the Innovations and Partnerships (IPO) Office about a potential research partnership?
Contact IPO early in your negotiations. IPO will send a standard agreement to the other party and ensure appropriate contract terms are negotiated (i.e. intellectual property rights, publication rights, insurance requirements, etc.). The Principal Investigator (PI) is responsible for drafting the research proposal, budget, timelines and other details regarding the work to be undertaken.
Can students perform research under a sponsored research agreement?
Yes, under the Principal Investigator’s (PI) supervision, students can perform research duties under the project. If necessary, project participants should read the agreement and sign a Confidential Information & Intellectual Property (CIIP) Agreement. This ensures all participants are aware of the terms and the University’s obligations under the SRA. All participants must comply with the University’s obligations.
Do indirect costs need to be applied to all sponsored research?
The University is committed to the full recovery of costs associated with research activities. All research projects should recover the maximum allowable amount of direct and indirect costs.
Who can sign my SRA?
Only designated authorized signatories of the University can sign on behalf of the University. In the case of an SRA, the authorized designate is the VP Research and Innovation, and Strategic Initiatives or their delegate.
- Participates in the negotiation of SRAs
- Acts as a resource for information related to SRAs and company interactions
- Reviews and negotiates research related to SRAs and provides feedback on the terms of the agreement
- Ensures agreements are consistent with University policies and guidelines
