Guidelines for Research Projects

Project closure

1. 1. Submit final report

   Final report to the funder

   Final reports to the funder summarize what the project has achieved. Such reports often have a technical section and a financial section, where the technical section describes the degree to which project objectives have been achieved, and the financial section describes how the project funds have been used in line with the budget. Check whether the funder has a template that the report(s) must follow.

   As project manager, you are responsible for the reporting yourself, but an R&D advisor can assist. Ensure that the project’s end date is communicated to all stakeholders internally (R&D, finance, HR, all internal participants) and externally (partners). The project’s end date is specified in the contract with the funder. If the project has multiple partners, you as project manager must make sure to obtain the necessary information from them to prepare the report. Ensure that all activity in the project is carried out within the project period and that all costs are recorded in the project accounts before the project is closed in the accounting system and any final report is prepared. The financial report is prepared by the financial advisor based on the costs posted in the accounting system.

   Internal final report and evaluation

   Some faculties or centres may require an internal final report. Contact the R&D advisor at your faculty/centre if you are unsure whether this applies to you. In any case, it can be useful at the end of the project to reflect on what went well and what did not go as well, and to identify potential improvements for future projects. Both technical and scientific aspects should be assessed. This includes, among other things, operations, finances, collaboration with the administration, and reporting to the funder. In addition, consider the extent to which the project delivered the research that was promised, as well as how collaboration within the project group functioned. The project manager, research advisor, and project financial officer—and any others who have had an active role in governance—should contribute to the evaluation. The evaluation should be summarized in a short written note and stored as part of the project documentation in P360. In this way, you facilitate strong organizational learning and prepare for future projects.

2. 2. Register project closure in relevant systems

   Ensure that the project is reported as closed in all relevant systems and databases.

   • Send a final notification to REK if the project requires REK approval. The form can be found in REK’s case portal (rekportalen.no) (in norwegian only).
   • Send a final notification to SIKT if the project requires SIKT approval. You will receive an email with a link to minforskning.sikt.no where you can confirm that the processing of personal data has ended. If you have lost access to the notification form or wish to close the project before the stated date, you can contact SIKT (sikt.no).
   • Register project closure in NVA.
   • Register project closure in Clinical Trials.
   • Close projects in the data processing systems where they were created if they use technical infrastructure such as TSD, EduCloud, Mime, etc.
   • Register that the project is closed in the Research Database (sharepoint.com).

3. 3. End-of-project data management

   As the project approach completion, conduct a final review of the data management plan and confirm that all data have been processed (e.g., archived, deleted, anonymized) in line with funder requirements and approvals from REK and SIKT. See OsloMet’s guidance on archiving and publishing research data and on data protection in research projects (project closure) (in norwegian only).

   Read more about ending data processing and archiving research data at OsloMet. You can also complete the sikresiden.no e-learning module “Når du er ferdig” (3–5 minutes) (in norwegian only)

4. 5. Disseminate, publish and exploit results.

   Dissemination of research results is an important part of the research process and helps ensure that knowledge is accessible, verifiable, and can be taken up by others. Project results should be disseminated and utilized on an ongoing basis during the project, but for many it is only when the project is completed that the results are ready to be disseminated or utilized.

   You should clarify ownership of the results before initiating dissemination and utilization of the project’s results.

   • Project results are subject to OsloMet’s rights policy (in norwegian only). Ownership of rights and the utilization of results created in collaborative (sponsored) research will be subject to negotiations between OsloMet and any partners in the project and thus regulated by the collaboration agreement. As a general rule, OsloMet should own results produced with the university’s resources. Results created through contract research will normally accrue to the client unless otherwise agreed.
   • Publishing of results: You can read more about OsloMet’s publication policy, publishing of results, and popular science communication in the guide under item 15, “Disseminate and Publish Results,” under the tab “When You Run the Project.” Here you will also find links to various support services at OsloMet.
   • Utilization of results: There are many ways to utilize project results. You can read more about these in the guide under item 16, “Utilize Results,” under the tab “When You Run the Project,” or on the innovation webpages.

   Funding for dissemination and utilization of results There are various grants you can apply for to disseminate or utilize results from projects. The Research Council of Norway offers, among other things, event support (forskningsradet.no) for open events aimed at disseminating research results and sharing knowledge. OsloMet—through the Pro-Rector for Societal Improvement and Collaboration, and the faculties and centres—also announces internal innovation funds for initiatives that will test and further develop innovative ideas arising from your research or artistic development work. You can read more about this year’s call for societal improvement funding on the webpages.

   Explore further collaboration When a research project concludes, it is important to maintain the networks established along the way. Strong relationships with partners, academic environments, and users can lay the foundation for further collaboration and new initiatives. By being proactive and staying in touch, you also increase the likelihood of identifying and developing new, exciting research projects. Results from the completed research project can form the basis for new research projects or innovation collaborations (e.g., with the Research Council of Norway or the EU), or for educational collaborations (e.g., through Erasmus+). You can find an overview of selected funding opportunities under “2. Find Project Funding” under the tab “When You Apply.”

5. 6. Prepare for an audit

   Research projects may be subject to audit. In such cases, it is particularly important to have access to documentation that describes the basis for decisions made in the project. In connection with an audit, it is especially important to have documentation available in the following areas:

   • Finance: Supporting documents showing how personnel costs and indirect costs have been calculated; the allocation of funds received to any partners; how operating funds have been used—for example, receipts and documentation of travel you have undertaken—and that this aligns with the project’s activities.
   • Agreements and governance documents: All agreements entered into in the project, e.g., with the funder, partners, and subcontractors, and any changes to these during the project. This may also include documentation of meetings held or decisions made in the consortium.
   • Deliverables: Auditors may request documentation that the work described in the project description has been carried out and delivered. This may include publications, conference presentations, etc.
   • Data and metadata: Depending on the type of audit, it may also be useful to present documentation on how the project’s data have been handled, stored, deleted, or, where applicable, shared during and after the project.