Arrangements for visiting scholars (including visiting students)
1. Introduction
These arrangements supersede any previous policies regarding Visiting Scholars/Students.
These arrangements apply only to Visiting Scholars (whether academic staff or students) whose intended visit has an academic purpose. Heads of School are reminded that other arrangements exist for those who visit or work at the University in other capacities.
A member of staff wishing to host a Visiting Scholar (either a member of academic staff or a student enrolled at another educational institution) should discuss the merits of the case with his or her Head of School.
2. Procedures
2.1 Notification, fees, and arrival reporting
If the Head of School decides that outcomes of the visit will be to the benefit of the School as a whole (eg through the general advancement of research/scholarship such as to yield joint publications, contribute to the School’s REF returns, advance the research effort, enhance the teaching provision in the School etc), then the Head of School should complete and return a copy of the form ‘Visiting Scholar Notification’ (available electronically) to Human Resources at The Old Burgh School, indicating willingness to accept the Visiting Scholar into the School and briefly stating the purpose of the visit and the expected beneficial outcomes.
If the Head of School is willing for the School to host the visitor within available resources, then the Head of School may waive the component of the fee (for details of which see Section 3) normally levied by the School. In this case the University (centrally) will automatically waive its component of the fee.
If on the other hand the Head of School, whilst wishing to accept the Visiting Scholar, requires the School’s component of the fee to be raised, then this should be indicated on the form along with the other particulars, and the form returned on completion as before. In this case the University (centrally) will automatically require the payment of its component of the fee.
It is then the responsibility of the Head of School to inform the Visiting Scholar of the invitation and to make all further arrangements for the visit.
On the arrival of the Visiting Scholar, the Head of School should inform Human Resources by sending the Arrival Report Form (available electronically). This will allow an ID card to be issued, and enable access subsequently to library and IT facilities.
If the visit does not take place, or if the dates of the visit are subsequently changed, then the Head of School should inform Human Resources accordingly.
If the Head of School does not wish to receive the Visiting Scholar into the School under any circumstances, then the form should not be submitted and the visit should not proceed.
2.2 Additional requirements
If the visitor is a student registered and/or paying fees at another institution then a number of additional issues must be considered as to whether or not fees are to be waived. These include:
- Is the purpose of the visit mainly for research training of the visitor or to collaborate towards advancing an identifiable research project?
- If the latter, will the visit thereby enhance significantly research progress/outcomes at St Andrews so that identifiable benefits to the School accrue (in addition to any broadening of experience that the student may enjoy) and, if so, what are these?
- Are reciprocal arrangements on similar terms offered to students from St Andrews by the other institutions?
- Is the length of the visit such that it is more appropriate to a credit-bearing module or programme?
- Is the home institution of the visitor able to offer any support towards the visit and, if so, at what level?
In certain cases further discussion between the Head of School and the Vice-Principal (Research) may be necessary.
3. Fees
The fee structure is as follows:
£880 Home/EU (£220 per quarter)
£2,200 Overseas (£550 per quarter)
Where the Visiting Scholar receives essentially only computing and library facilities, the fee charged to him or her will be £880 per annum (£220 per quarter), with £528 to go to the University (centrally) and £352 to the School (or £132 and £88 per quarter respectively) for Home/EU visitors, or £2,200 per annum (£550 per quarter), with £1320 to go to the University (centrally) and £880 to the School (or £330 and £220 per quarter respectively) for Overseas visitors.
The University (centrally) will invoice the Visiting Scholar at his or her home institution address for the full fee (both School and University components) in the case when a fee is to be paid.
The University (centrally) will then reimburse the School for its share of the fee paid.
It is proposed that this fee structure be increased from time to time by the Planning and Resources Committee in line with increases in other fees.
4. Additional Information
A copy of the Visiting Scholar Notification form must be filled in for each proposed Visiting Scholar.
The Visiting Scholar Notification form must be returned at least one month before the start of the proposed visit.
Payment for one quarter will be the minimum fee to be raised for Visiting Scholars where a fee is to be charged.