Visitor’s Agreements should be used for academic or student visitors to the Department, or student placements which are not covered by any other agreement. They should be used for academics from other institutions on sabbatical, visiting researchers, or students spending time at the University to broaden their experience. A Visitor’s Agreement should be put in place where a visitor will undertake pre-agreed activities within the Department, for a minimum of five days.
There are four types of Visitor Agreements:
- Employed Visitor’s Agreement – Visitors employed by another institution (up to 12 months in first instance)
- Independent Visitor’s Agreement – Visitors who are not employees or students of another institution, or where the visit is independent of their employment or studies elsewhere (up to 12 months in first instance)
- Student Visitor’s Agreement – Visitor’s studying at another institution (max length of 12 months)
- Honorary Research Fellowship* – See key considerations below for further information (up to 12 months in first instance).
*Issued where appropriate in liaison with HR Adviser.
Who doesn’t need a Visitor’s Agreement?
Visitor’s Agreements should not be used for people who are:
- Being paid through the University (i.e. an employee, worker or consultant)
- An intern or work experience student (i.e. is expected to perform specific services for the University, normally for a minimal amount of pay – the Temporary Employment Service can assist in these cases)
- Doing work under a University grant or contract (whether they work for a third party, are a retired member of staff, or a College Teaching Office or fellow), without first contacting the Research Office, who will supply appropriate special conditions to insert to ensure there is no conflict with the Grant Agreement concerned
- Being seconded to the University
- Acting as an external examiner or supervisor
- A volunteer.
If the visitor is a Cambridge College employee, please complete this agreement in liaison with the college.
All departments are responsible for issuing their own Visitor’s Agreements and sending a copy of the Visitors Letter, signed by all parties to: cshrstaffhub@admin.cam.ac.uk
Contact the Research Operations Office if the visitor is undertaking work related to a University of Cambridge research grant or contract for advice on special conditions that may be necessary to avoid breaching existing terms and conditions.
Contact your HR Adviser if you have any queries prior to issuing a Visitor’s Agreement.
Key Considerations
- Senior visitors (at the level of Senior Research Associate or above) can apply for an honorary title to their Visitor’s Agreement (‘Honorary Visiting Fellow / Senior Honorary Visiting Fellow’) via the Grant of Title application, to be reviewed by the Regius Professor of Physic. This process is managed by Melanie Hale in the Clinical School Office.
- Independent visitors are not indemnified by a home institution and are therefore not insured to carry out experimental work. If the intention is for an independent visitor to carry out experimental work, they will require an Honorary Research Fellowship with a grant of title (in discussion with the relevant HR Adviser), or an alternative route as summarised in the flowchart will need to be followed.
- Visitors are not entitled to hold or apply for grants as a PI.
- Visitors are not eligible to supervise (with the exception of Honorary Research Fellows, who can be secondary supervisors where appropriate).
