Worktribe risk assessment

Question

Will the project require any additional space above what is already assigned to the lead investigator(s), or require modifications to space already assigned, or have other major infrastructure impact at the University?

Examples may include:

• making temporary or permanent changes to existing space to support installation of equipment
• the acquisition of new laboratory or other specialist space
• significant use of University facilities of a scale that is likely to impact other users
• the creation of a new building
• other forms of capital investment
   

If you answer yes

If you answer yes to this question, you'll also need to:

• describe the new space, or space modification that's needed
• give the estimated cost of the new space, or space modification (if you're not sure, you can enter 'not known'
• explain how the infrastructure costs are going to be funded

You can also include supporting information and documentation. 

Question

Is matched funding or other institutional financial commitments required as a condition of funding?

Examples may include the funder asking the University to:

• contribute to the costs of equipment purchase
• commit University funded studentships to the project
• cover the costs of teaching buy-out
• commit to the continued employment of project funded positions post-project funding
• allocate a proportion of quality-related (QR) funding for project purposes

Exclusions: Standard UKRI fEC under recovery (commonly 20%) does not need to be flagged.
 

If you answer yes

If you answer yes to this question, you'll also need to:

• describe the additional funding or resources that the University or Department would need to provide
• give the estimated cost of the additional funding or resources (if you're not sure, you can enter 'not known'
• explain how they are going to be funded. If they're being funded by your Department, have they been notified?

You can also include supporting information and documentation. 

Question

Will the project involve individuals who could be perceived as having potential or real conflicts of interest that might unduly influence the design, delivery or funding of the project? Care should be taken to consider the originating funding source where this is not the contracting party.
 

How to answer

Read more about managing conflicts of interest.
 

If you answer yes

If you answer yes to this question, you'll also need to answer whether the conflict of interest involves Cambridge staff or students.

If it does, you'll be asked whether you've reported the conflict of interest to your Department, and whether you've made a plan for mitigating the conflict.

You can also include supporting information and documentation. 

Question

Will the project require University of Cambridge staff or students to travel to countries with active UK Foreign and Development Office travel warnings i.e. advice is for essential travel only or against all travel?
 

How to answer

Read our guidance on travelling abroad for work.
 

If you answer yes

If you answer yes to this question, you'll be asked to name the country you're travelling to, and why you're travelling there.

Question

With exception for conferences or off-site meetings, will any University of Cambridge staff or students work on the project at a collaborator or other third-party premise (in the UK or overseas)?

How to answer 

Read the guidance on working overseas

If you answer yes

If you answer yes to this question, you'll also be asked:

• will University of Cambridge staff or postgraduate students be required to work overseas?
• will Cambridge staff of students be required to work overseas for a period greater than 90 days in any 12-month period?
• to give a brief description of the work they'll be doing

Question

Will the planned research involve human participants, their tissue or personal data as the subject of research (including personal data provided by third parties)?

If you answer yes

If you answer yes to this question, you'll also need to answer the following questions:

• will the planned research require ethical approval in line with UK regulations or University requirements as a result of involving human participants, human tissue, or personal data?
• is there any intention for research to be undertaken overseas that will require non-UK ethical approval?

Read more about ethical approval.

Question:

Will the project involve international engagement in its design, delivery or output management? Answer yes to this question if any of the following legislation or regulations may apply: The Nagoya Protocol, the UK National Security and Investment Action (NSI), UK Export Controls or US Export Control?
 

If you answer yes

If you answer yes to this question, you'll also need to answer the following questions:

• Will non-human genetic materials (this may include lab-grown materials in some cases) and / or traditional knowledge associated with genetic materials be imported for the purpose of this project from a Nagoya Protocol country, or will other applicable Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) regulations apply?
• Will any party involved in the project be either: based in a country subject to an arms embargo; on the US Consolidated Screening List; or a state military organisation?
• Does the subject matter of the project fall within one of the sensitive areas of the economy (including dual use items) defined under the UK Government NSI Act (referred to as Notifiable Acquisitions)?
• Do you know or suspect that any of the data, materials, software, technology or goods you will be using are subject to US export controls (e.g. anything that is capable of military end use and comes from the US)?
• Will you be sharing any data, materials, software, technology or goods outside the UK that are on the UK Consolidated Export Controls List?
• Do you know or suspect that anything you will be sharing outside the UK might be used for WMD end use?

You can also include supporting information and documentation. 

Question

Will the planned research require licences in line with UK and European legislation because it involves the use of Non-Human IN VIVO procedures and/or animal facilities (including animal-related work at other organisations in the UK or overseas)? 
 

If you answer yes

If you answer yes to this question, you'll also be asked whether the required project/individual licenses already exist?

You can also include supporting information and documentation. 

Question

Will the project or research activity include any international partners, funders or collaborators?
 

If you answer yes

If you answer yes to this question, you'll also need to answer the following questions:

• Will the project or research activity include any partners, funders or collaborators based in Iran or Russia?
• Could the project or research activity involve direction to undertake 'political influence activities' from a 'foreign power' (i.e. are political influence activities one of the deliverables required or requested by a funder or collaborator who meets the definition of a 'foreign power')?