Guidelines for the Joint Appointment or Temporary Transfer of Research Fellows of Academia Sinica

Promulgated by Human Affairs Letter No. 0960171660 on June 8, 2007

Revised in Human Affairs Letter No. 0970156400 on June 6, 2008

Revised in Human Affairs Letter No. 0980232710 on July 24, 2009Revised in Human Affairs Letter No. 1040500900 on February 9, 2015

Revised in Human Affairs Letter No. 1040507879 on October 23, 2015

Revised in Human Affairs Letter No. 1050503383 on May 18, 2016

Revised in Academia Affairs Document No. 1060509495 on November 27, 2017

  1. Purpose

The “Guidelines for the Joint Appointment or Temporary Transfer of Research Fellows of Academia Sinica” (below abbreviated as Guidelines) have been established in order to regulate the joint appointment or temporary transfer of research fellows of Academia Sinica with research institutes (preparatory offices) or research centers within Academia Sinica. The Guidelines have also been established in order to regulate the joint appointment or temporary transfer of Academia Sinica research fellows with domestic and international, public and private universities, research institutions or government institutions.

  1. Regulations Related to the Joint Appointment of Academia Sinica Research Fellows Within Academia Sinica

The joint appointment of Academia Sinica research fellows at another research institute (preparatory office) or research center of Academia Sinica must receive the approval of the research institute (preparatory office) or research center where the research fellow intends to pursue joint appointment. Proposals for joint appointment must be passed by the General Assembly of the relevant research institute (preparatory office) or research center or by the Central Academic Advisory Committee. Proposals for joint appointment must also receive the approval of the director of the research institute (preparatory office) or research center at which the research fellow is employed full-time. The proposals for joint appointment must then be submitted to the President of Academia Sinica for approval. Besides the research institute (preparatory office) or research center at which the research fellow is employed full-time, research fellows may be jointly appointed at no more than two research institutes (preparatory office), or research centers of Academia Sinica. However, in cases of special needs, special requests for joint appointment at more than two research units may be filed by the relevant research institutes (preparatory office) or research centers. These special requests must then be approved by the President of Academia Sinica.

The term of joint appointments within Academia Sinica is for three years. After completion of the term, joint appointments may be renewed. Research offices shall be assigned by the research institute (preparatory office) or research center at which the research fellow is employed full-time. Allocation of research resources as well as the rights and obligations of joint appointments shall be negotiated by the relevant competent authorities. Jointly appointed research fellows may attend the administrative meetings of the research institute (preparatory office) or research center at which the research fellow is jointly employed. However, jointly appointed research fellows may not vote in resolutions on motions involving human affairs or budget issues. In cases of special needs, special requests may be filed by the relevant research institutes (preparatory office) or research centers. These requests must then be approved by the President of Academia Sinica.

The research institution, preparatory office or research center at which the research fellow is employed full-time is responsible for handling matters such as the renewal of employment, promotion, and the annual assessments of research fellows. However, the research institute (preparatory office) or research center at which the research fellow is jointly employed should provide information on the conduct and research achievements of the relevant research fellow for reference purposes.

  1. Regulations Related to the Joint Appointment of Academia Sinica Research Fellows at Domestic andInternational, Public and Private Universities or Research Institutions

Cases of joint appointment of Academia Sinica research fellows at domestic and international, public and private universities or research institutions need to be approved by the General Assembly of the research institute (preparatory office) or research center to which the research fellow belongs. The directors of both institutions at which the research fellowplans to be jointly appointed and fully employed must approve of the joint appointment.

Research fellows seeking joint appointment must meet the qualifications of both institutions where they plan to be jointly appointed and fully employed. Both institutions must examine whether the candidate conforms to the established employment regulations and both institutions must approve of the joint appointment before employment. The promotions of jointlyappointed research fellows shall follow the procedures as well.

Each term of joint appointment is two years unless there is anyother agreement made between both institutions. Requests for reappointment of joint appointment upon the completion of the two year term must be approved each time by the General Assembly of the research institute (preparatory office) or research center. If jointlyappointed research fellowsare unable to perform the required duties of joint appointment or in cases of occupational transfer, the joint appointment shall be terminated.

Salary payment and retirement application of jointlyappointed research fellows shall be processedfollowing the salary standards of the institution at which research fellowsare employed full time. The apportionment of salary remuneration shall be decided and shared by allocation of working hours between the institutions. When research fellowsare jointly appointedby Academia Sinica and the international public and private universities or research institutions, the salary disbursement shall beshared by the agreement made between the institutions in accordance with the standards of each institution andthe proportion of working hoursat each institution; When full-time research fellows of international public and private universities or research institutions are jointly appointed by Academia Sinica, and the salary remunerationsare fully disbursed by the international public and private universities or research institutions. The living expenses shall be paid by Academia Sinica in pursuance ofthe Payment Standards for Consultants, Visiting Specialists andScholars Invited by Academia Sinica.

Full-time research fellows of international public and private universities or research institutions who are jointly appointed by Academia Sinica shall mainly be the hard-to-find talents who have internationallyrecognized academic achievements orspecial contributions.Jointlyappointed fellows shall limited to be research fellows and distinguished research fellows; In principle,the numbers of jointlyappointed research fellows shall not exceed 5% of the total number of full-time research fellows and distinguished research fellows in Academia Sinica. However, when research fellows are jointly appointed in accordance with the cooperation agreement between the institutions, the positions and numbers of jointly appointed fellows are not subject to the restrictions.

Jointly appointed research fellows from outsideAcademia Sinica are not permitted to hold executive positions in Academia Sinica.

Academia Sinica’s full-time research fellows who are jointly appointed byinternational public and private universities or research institutions, and the salary disbursement are shared by the agreement made between the institutions in accordance with the standards of each institution and the proportion of working hours at each institution, the academic research grants and year-end bonus shall be disbursed in proportion with the working hours in Academia Sinica.

Jointly appointed research fellows from outside Academia Sinica shall obey the Code of Ethics for Academia Sinica Research Fellows and Research Specialists. Those who violate this Code of Ethics shall be sent to the Ethics Committees of Academia Sinica at various levels.

  1. Regulations Related to the Temporary Transfer of Academia Sinica Research Fellows to Domestic and International, Public and Private Universities, Research Institutions or Government Institutions

The temporary transfer of Academia Sinica research fellows to other institutions must be approved by the General Assembly of the relevant research institute (preparatory office) or research center. The temporary transfer of Academia Sinica research fellows to other institutions must also be approved by the President of Academia Sinica. Academia Sinica research fellows may hold executive or administrative positions at the domestic and international, public and private universities, research institutions, or government institutions to which they have been temporarily transferred.

Academia Sinica research fellows may be temporarily transferred to other institutions for a maximum of one term. In cases where no term of office is specified, Academia Sinica research fellows may be temporarily transferred to other institutions for a maximum of four years. In cases of special needs for longer periods of temporary transferal, approval must be received in the General Assemblymeeting of the relevant research institute (preparatory office) or research center. A special request for approval must also be submitted to the President of Academia Sinica.

Academia Sinica research fellows who are temporarily transferred to other institutions should apply for temporary leave without pay (retainment of position at Academia Sinica but temporary suspension of salary received by Academia Sinica). The institution at which the research fellow is temporarily employed shall disburse the salary of the research fellow during the period of temporary transferal.

Decisions about whether the temporarily transferred research fellow may attend the General Assembly of the research institute (preparatory office) or research center at which the research fellow is employed full-time shall be decided independently by each research institute (preparatory office) or research center. Decisions on the allocation of research resources to the temporarily transferred research fellow shall also be decided independently by each research institute (preparatory office) or research center.

Research fellows who are extending their term of employmentshall only receive salary from Academia Sinica, and shall not be temporarily transferred to other institution.

  1. Promulgation

These guidelines and the amendments thereof have been passed by the General Assembly and approved and promulgated by the President of Academia Sinica.