Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I provide academic consultancy to companies as a faculty member?
Yes, you can. If the consultancy you provide contains R&D content, you can provide consultancy services through Istanbul Bilgi University and the University's commercial enterprise if it does not contain R&D content.
2. What is considered R&D content, and how is it determined?
The definition of R&D content is provided in the Frascati Manual. You can review the Frascati Manual to determine whether the service to be provided qualifies as R&D.
3. Which unit should be contacted for consultancy services involving R&D content?
You should contact the Technology Transfer Office (TTO) to obtain information about the consultancy process. To initiate and properly manage the consultancy, it is essential to inform the Technology Transfer Office.
4. Which unit should be contacted for consultancy services without R&D content?
You may contact the Legal Consultancy and the Financial Accounting Department.
5. Is there a share that the University receives for consultancy services involving R&D content?
Since R&D-related consultancy services are regulated under Article 58(k) of Law No. 2547*, 15% of the fee paid by the company for the consultancy service is allocated as the University's institutional share. This amount is specified in the contract.
6. How does the University Board of Directors (UEB) approval process work for consultancy services involving R&D content?
For your academic consultancy service involving R&D content to be evaluated under Article 58(k) of Law No. 2547*, the project must be submitted for approval to the University Executive Board (UEB). Therefore, you must notify your Department Chair with a petition containing all details of the project/service (scope, content, duration, tools, any funding support, etc.).
Your Department Chair will evaluate the R&D content of the project stated in your petition. If the evaluation is positive, the Chair will forward their opinion in writing to the Faculty Dean's Office. The Dean's Office will review the project’s R&D content. If positive, this opinion will be forwarded to the Rectorate, which will provide the necessary information to submit the petition to the UEB. (You can access sample draft petitions here.)
The UEB decision will be communicated to you via official letter. If the decision is positive, you may proceed to the contract phase by consulting the Technology Transfer Office.
7. How does the contract process work for consultancy services involving R&D content?
The TTO will discuss with the academician and the company to define the consultancy scope and terms to be included in the contract. Based on these terms and with the support of the Legal Counsel, a Consultancy Agreement is drafted. The TTO manages the process to ensure all parties agree on the contract terms. After all parties approve, the TTO initiates the contract approval and signing process.
Once contracts are mutually completed, the Technology Transfer Office informs the Treasury Unit, Financial Affairs Unit, and Human Resources Unit to track payments from the company, issue invoices, and process payment to the faculty member at the end of the relevant month.
8. What is the process regarding payment for consultancy services involving R&D content?
For payment to be made, an Administrative Additional Service Agreement must be drawn up between you and the University after the Consultancy Agreement is fully signed. The TTO prepares this Administrative Additional Service Agreement based on the Consultancy Agreement details and initiates the Contract Review Approval Form process via the EBYS system for the relevant units' review and approval. Once the review process is complete, the wet signature process begins.
The Technology Transfer Office provides you with a copy of the signed Administrative Additional Service Agreement and sends another copy to the Human Resources Unit to include it in the payment schedule.
9. Is the process for consultancy services involving R&D content also valid for TÜBİTAK TEYDEB projects?
Yes, it is valid and follows the same procedure. If the consultancy is to be submitted within the scope of a TÜBİTAK TEYDEB project, it is recommended to include the TÜBİTAK TEYDEB Support Decision Letter requested from the company as an attachment to the petition submitted for UEB approval.
* With “Law No.6676 on Supporting Research and Development Activities and Amendment in Some Laws and Decrees with Force of Law” published in Official Gazette numbered 296636 dated 26.02.2016, within the scope of supports to be provided in circulating capital to R&D, design and innovation projects and activities to be carried out by faculty members in higher education institutions in collaboration with the industry, (k) subparagraph have been added to Article 4 of Law No.6676 and Article 58 under Higher Education Law No.2547 and following provision has been introduced: “Revenues acquired as a result of research and development, design and innovation projects as part of university-industry collaboration shall be accumulated in a separate account of circulating capital enterprise. No deduction shall be made from these revenues, including those to be made pursuant to subparagraph (b). 85% of the income to be paid to the faculty member fort his respect shall be paid to the relevant faculty member without any tax-related deduction. The remaining balance shall be utilized for the procedures stated under subparagraph (b). Projects and activities in this scope shall be decided with the consent of university’s executive board upon the application of the faculty member.”