Researchers and the professional services staff who support them will be able to use the system for support, advice and negotiation of contracts that fall within the remit of the Research & Commercialisation Contracts Team in Research & Innovation Services (RIS).

The new system offers a more professional and resilient platform for managing research-related contracts effectively. By automating the research contract workflow, Worktribe@Bath increases efficiency and lowers risk. The enhanced accuracy, quality and visibility of data from the system allows us to evaluate performance, improve reporting and offer easy access for our staff and stakeholders to track contracts and manage issues.

An element of self-service was at the heart of the choice of Worktribe, as the system enables internal stakeholders to review the status of negotiations, documents and correspondence directly. A messaging function in each case file enables internal stakeholders to correspond directly with the Contracts Team and other University staff, when necessary.

Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise), Professor Sarah Hainsworth sees the new system as an important part of a suite of improvements in our maturity as a research organisation:

The selection and swift implementation of Worktribe@Bath for our research contracts is a major advance in the efficiencies that we are introducing around how we support our growing research portfolio. We have bold ambitions for research at Bath. Effective and robust contracts are a vital dimension of our work, and this new system streamlines the process for everyone involved.

All pending contracts have been migrated to Worktribe@Bath, and all new research contracts will now be raised within the system. To track an existing contract, please log into Worktribe via our Worktribe@Bath SharePoint site, which also offers guidance on how to use the system.

If you wish to raise a research-related contract, please contact the Research & Commercialisation Contracts Team research-contracts@bath.ac.uk in the first instance, or read our article on New Contracts.