Information about the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skill’s follow-up of funded projects

We are committed to making the control and follow-up of projects as user-friendly as possible. Through the follow-up, we aim to support the projects when you experience difficulties or problems. We also have means to follow up if irregularities are identified or if funds are not used as intended.

Below, we provide an overview of the various means established to ensure effective control and follow-up of projects receiving funds.

Self-reporting

All projects that are awarded funding must submit one or more reports to HK-dir. Such self-reports must be made using HK-dir’s reporting forms, which will be made available in Espresso well in advance of the deadline. Information about reporting deadlines is given in the decision letter and subsequent information.

In addition to the regular reports, funding recipients also have a continuous obligation to inform HK-dir if there is suspicion of a breach of the law / corruption and other risks of loss of funding, as well as cases where an unforeseen and insurmountable obstacle significantly affects the project’s ability to deliver its intended results (force majeure), see section 5.4 of HK-dir’s standard terms and conditions (PDF). We encourage everyone to submit a notification form (Word) (in Norwegian only, English form will be updated) as early as possible if circumstances should arise that could have such consequences for a project.

Should we receive notification of such circumstances, tailored solutions will be sought. We will strive to ensure that the project can continue for as long and as far as is justifiable. If this is not possible, we will initiate a dialogue regarding how the project can be concluded in the best way possible. If grounds for sanctions are identified, a notice will be sent to the project and sufficient opportunity for refutation will be provided before a final decision is made.

We emphasise that all reporting is based on trust and that the project owners are obliged to ensure that information submitted to HK-dir is correct and truthful. Violations of this obligation could lead to sanctions.

Changes to projects that have already commenced

Most projects are likely to encounter unexpected obstacles during the implementation. Fortunately, most projects manage to overcome these obstacles so that progress is maintained, and goals accomplished with the intended results. Sometimes, however, the obstacles are unsurmountable, making it necessary to either adjust the project’s objectives, or conclude the project earlier than planned.

Each project decides which adjustments are necessary to ensure effective progress and attainment of goals, see section 2.4 of HK-dir’s standard terms and conditions (PDF). Other changes must be clarified with HK-dir by submitting an application for change (Word) (in Norwegian only, English form will be updated). Such applications are processed as soon as they are received and will normally be approved as long as the project still generates results that can justify the funding.

If either HK-dir or the project consider the obstacles to be so great that the project can no longer be implemented with good results, we will invite you to engage in dialogue on how the project can best be concluded. A crucial aspect will be to ensure the completion, to the best extent possible, of any project components that the project has made commitments to (such as planned events) before concluding the project. In the event of such orderly conclusion, we will, as a main rule, only require the return of unused funding.

Document and system control

Occasionally control measures will be carried out in selected projects. Such control measures are carried out to uncover circumstances that may otherwise lead to a risk of loss or negative development in the projects. The selection of which projects will be subject to such control measures is based on set criteria designed to identify general risk. Receiving notification of such control measures, however, does not mean that we believe there are problems with the project.

We use two types of control measures. Firstly, limited document checks can be carried out, where we ask you to verify specific aspects of the project and its financial management, for example related to the procurement of equipment/services or transfer of funds to collaborative partners etc. Secondly, what we refer to as system controls, where we normally visit in person and a more systematic review of various aspects linked to project administration, financial management, and compliance with laws and regulations, can be carried out.

For the projects this applies to, we will provide information on the time and subject of such control measures in good time. Information concerning any documentation we ask to be provided, how the control measure will be carried out etc. will also be provided. We understand that this may be disruptive and will do all we can to set up the control process in the most accommodating way possible.

Projects that are shown to have minor errors/undesirable practices etc., will be given the opportunity to correct these. If more serious errors/violations are uncovered, we will evaluate whether these constitute grounds for sanctions (see below).

Sanctions in the event of violations

Sanctions are used when projects act, or show clear signs they will act, in breach of HK-dir’s terms for use of funding. Which sanctions we use, and under which circumstances we use them are stated in section 4 of HK-dir’s standard terms and conditions (PDF).

We only resort to imposing sanctions on the project as a last resort, and we do not use them until we have ensured that they are necessary. When we consider the use of sanctions, we will always give the projects the opportunity to explain the matter and to state their opinion, as well as ensure that the sanctions are proportionate to the grounds for sanctions.

Notifications concerning circumstances that give strong grounds for criticism relating to the implementation of projects that receive public funding can be sent to HK-dir using a notification form (see above). Such notifications can also be sent to us anonymously.