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Consultancy and Grants Management Policy 2026–27

Consultancy and grants, done properly.

Every consultancy and externally funded grant that uses the University's time, name, facilities or staff is routed through the University. Staff who bring in projects are recognised and rewarded fairly.

Pharmacy students at laboratory research

Scope

What the policy covers.

  • Externally funded consultancy projects awarded to the University
  • Research grants from national or international funders
  • Contract research, technical advisory services and training programmes run under the University's name or using its facilities, staff time or intellectual resources
Private consultancy done entirely outside university time, using no university resources and without the University's name, is outside the policy, but it still needs prior written disclosure to, and clearance from, your Dean or Director. Make a disclosure.

Key principles

Five principles.

  • All university-resourced consultancy and grant work is routed through the University
  • Every project has a dedicated project account run by the Finance Directorate
  • The University recovers overhead (indirect) costs on every external project
  • Staff who generate projects are recognised and compensated fairly
  • Everything complies with GTEC standards, the Public Procurement Act (Act 663, 2003) and funder rules

Registration and approval

Six steps before a project starts.

  1. Notify

    You notify your Dean or Director that you intend to pursue the opportunity.

  2. Endorse

    The Dean or Director endorses the project and forwards it to the Vice-Chancellor's Office.

  3. Approve

    The Vice-Chancellor's Office grants institutional approval and assigns a project reference number.

  4. Open the account

    The Finance Directorate opens a dedicated project account.

  5. Register

    CQAD registers the project in the Institutional Consultancy and Grants Register.

  6. Commence

    The project starts. All contracts are signed by the Vice-Chancellor or an authorised delegate.

Projects with ethical considerations (human subjects, health data and similar) also need Ethics Committee clearance before they start.

Register a project

Financial framework

The numbers that apply to every project.

20%standard overhead on total direct project costs (lower only on a funder's written policy, or with VC approval)
30%maximum PI or lead consultant fee, as a share of the professional-fees budget
20%maximum co-investigator fee; research and admin support as budgeted
20% / 10%maximum working time on projects for academic / administrative staff

How recovered overhead is shared

RecipientShare
University central administration (VC's Office / Finance)30%
School or faculty hosting the project20%
Department hosting the project20%
Principal investigator's research and capacity fund30%

Where several units are involved, the school and department shares are split pro rata as agreed at proposal stage. The PI's 30% is a research and professional-development fund, not personal income.

Project administration

  • Funds are received into and paid from the dedicated project account only, never a personal account
  • Finance sends the PI monthly statements and files financial reports with funders
  • Copies of every technical and financial report are filed with CQAD and Finance
  • CQAD reviews projects over GH₵ 50,000 or longer than 12 months at mid-point and at the end
  • A procurement plan goes to Finance at the start
  • IP is jointly owned unless the funding agreement says otherwise; the University's share of commercialisation proceeds is at least 40%, agreed in writing and registered with CQAD

Estimator

Overhead and fee estimator.

An illustration only. It saves nothing and is not an approval; the figures in your approved project budget are what count.

Standard rate is 20%.

Estimate

Recognition

Your work counts.

  • Consultancy and grant wins are recorded in your official performance file
  • Outstanding performance is recognised in the Annual University Report
  • Grant and consultancy generation carries positive weight in academic promotion
  • Multi-year high performers are honoured with the Vice-Chancellor's Annual Research and Consultancy Excellence Award

Prohibited conduct

What is not allowed.

  • Consultancy or grant activity in the University's name without institutional approval
  • Receiving project funds into a personal or non-university account
  • Misrepresenting the University's facilities, resources or accreditation status to a client or funder
  • Consultancy that conflicts with university duties or institutional clients without prior disclosure
  • Bypassing the Finance Directorate in procurement or disbursement

Concerns about prohibited conduct should be raised through the University's official reporting channel.