Collaborators’ Terms of Reference

SIRCA II COLLABORATOR SCHEME

 

Background

The International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the Singapore internet Research Centre (SiRC) are pleased to announce the call for grant proposals under the global initiative, Strengthening Information-Society Research Capacity Alliance (SIRCA II). The SIRCA II programme seeks to improve the inter-disciplinary research skills of emerging scholars in the Global South. Learning from the experience of building capacity in the Information Society/ICTD field in Asia, SIRCA II will include researchers from Africa, Latin America as well as Asia, in order to address the very lack of scholars from developing regions.

SIRCA II has five fundamental goals:

  • Support research capacity building;
  • Support theoretically based and methodologically rigorous research ;
  • Create opportunities for collaboratorship between established researchers and grant recipients;
  • Provide spaces for recipients to share experiences in face-to-face settings; and
  • Disseminate research findings.

 

The Collaborator Scheme provides an opportunity for senior scholars to enhance their research acumen. A Collaborator and Principle Investigator (PI) together plan, activate and monitor a specific research outcome desired by for the PI. The focus of the scheme is on the research needs of the PI, in particular the establishment of a productive, independent researcher. The issues discussed and the tasks will be unique to each pair.

 

Collaborator Eligibility, Responsibilities, and Compensation

The SIRCA II Collaborator Scheme consists of senior scholars who bring together a breadth of knowledge and experience across a wide spectrum of network societies and open development research. Each Collaborator-PI team will be decided upon based on the alignment of research interests, and Collaborators are expected to commit to the relationship for the duration of the assigned project/s.

The general roles of SIRCA II Collaborators are to:

  1. Collaborate on a minimum of one and up to two regional projects;
  2. make two site-visits (minimum one) to each project involved in within the research period;
  3. attend SIRCA II final research dissemination conference, and if possible, training workshops;
  4. ensure the project impact as well its contribution to knowledge; and,
  5. ensure the general progress for the projects under their theme/s including guiding the preparation of periodic reports for programs such as mid-term assessments and end-of-project review, and the final research paper.

 

More specifically, SIRCA II Collaborators are expected to fulfill the following objectives:

  1. provide professional guidance to the PI;
  2. provide a leadership role model for the PI; demonstrating how the PI might develop greater initiative, increased independence, and self-reliance;
  3. share relevant research knowledge and experience with the PI from a variety of sources including research databases accessible through, among other sources, IDRC’s library.
  4. identify and resolve potential obstacles to the PI;
  5. guide the PI in conducting research ethically and responsibly;
  6. assist the PI to develop professional networks;
  7. enhance the PI’s research and publication efforts; and,
  8. collaboratively develop research paper(s) for dissemination at international conferences and peer-reviewed publications.

 

The amount of time a Collaborator commits to a project varies depending on the needs, expectations, and desires of the PI and the Collaborator. SiRC highly recommends that both parties discuss their expectations at the beginning of the relationship. One of the most important factors is time: How often and for how long will you be available? Do you have a commitment at a certain time that may make you unavailable? When is it appropriate to call? The time commitment at the beginning will focus on getting to know each other and on building the relationship, while on an on-going basis it will focus on research activities. Towards the end of the project, it is expected that more time will be spent on conducting analysis and preparing quality research manuscripts.

Compensation for SIRCA II Collaborators include:

a. Travel expenses incurred for site visits and program meetings;

b. Per diems;

c. Transport;

d. Each Collaborator will receive an Honorarium for each project collaboratored. The projects are expected to last to a maximum of 24 months.

 

 

 Pairing of Collaborator with Projects

 The SIRCA II Management Board will pair suitable collaborators to the projects. However, where the possibility of conflict of interests arises, the SIRCA II Management Board maintains the right to decide on the partnership. The SIRCA II Management Board will take into consideration each Collaborator’s preference during the allocation of projects. However, Collaborators should note that it is likely that their preferences may coincide with those of the other Collaborators. The final decision of the Collaborator-PI team will be made by the SIRCA II Management Board based on preferences and match in expertise of Collaborator.

 

Benefits of Being a SIRCA II Collaborator

 SIRCA II Collaborators are expected to benefit from this relationship, in terms of:

  1. Personal satisfaction—Collaborators may develop a sense of pride at helping a junior researcher succeed;
  2. Sharpened leadership and interpersonal skills—Collaborators may sharpen their own skills as they challenge and coach their PIs;
  3. Source of professional recognition—Collaborators may be co-authors of the resulting project publications;
  4. Expanded social network within the discipline—Collaborators may develop professional contacts by interacting with other Collaborators and with the broader SIRCA II network;
  5. Information gathering—Collaborators may be exposed to fresh ideas from their PIs. Some senior scholars can be isolated or set in their ways, and PIs can offer new insights into research.

 

Challenges that compromise the collaborator-PI relationship

Both PI and Collaborator stand to benefit greatly when the goals and expectations of their relationship are clearly defined, the responsibilities and activities are well executed, and goals and objectives are achieved in a timely fashion. While these are reasonable expectations of a rewarding relationship, untoward events can affect the PI/Collaborator bond. In cases of changing commitments, incompatibility or where the relationship is not mutually fulfilling, then either the PI or Collaborator should immediately seek advice from the SIRCA II Secretariat/Regional Secretariat who will either find a new partner or help to resolve the reason for the difficulty. It is important to realise that changes can and should be made without prejudice or fault. All SIRCA II collaborators are required to observe the Guidelines on Conflict of Interest (Appendix A).


APPENDIX A

 

Guidelines on Conflict of Interest for SIRCA II II Collaborators

SIRCA II Secretariat will make every effort to ensure not only that its decisions are fair and objective, but also that they are seen to be so. Therefore, no member of the SIRCA II collaboratoring scheme with an actual or potential conflict of interest may participate in the collaboratoring of a SIRCA II project. All such Individuals must declare any potential conflict of interest to the Director of SIRCA II immediately. For further clarity, Individuals are in a conflict of interest when they:

  • Are from the same immediate department, research group, centre, institute, company or other type of institutional subdivision as any PI named in a project;
  • Named as PI or co-PI in a SIRCA II project;
  • Have been a student or supervisor of the PI within the last ten (10) years
  • Are or have been a close personal friend or relative of the PI
  • Have had long standing or serious scientific or personal differences with the PI.

 

If any of these circumstances apply, the Individual will not be assigned the role of Collaborator to the project. Where an Individual seeks direction on the exercise of his/her discretion in the event of a potential conflict, the next level of authority shall exercise his/her judgement and/or seek a vote of the SIRCA II Management Board GRC to clarify the appropriate course of action.

When a member of the SIRCA II Collaboratoring Scheme has concerns about the potential perception of conflict in such matters, they may refer the issue to the SIRCA II Management Board for advice and direction.