Visiting Scholar Procedures

1.    Introduction

This procedure sets out the steps for proposing, approving, registering, supporting, supervising, and closing a Visiting Scholar appointment under the Visiting Scholar Policy. It should be read with the Visiting Scholar Policy, Visiting Scholar Proposal and Approval Form, and Visiting Scholar Agreement.

2.    Procedure Requirements

• All Visiting Scholar appointments must be proposed by an NCI academic staff member and approved by the relevant Dean.
• A Visiting Scholar Agreement must be signed before the visit commences.
• Governance requirements must be considered, including data protection, research ethics, confidentiality, intellectual property, safeguarding, information security, and international data transfers.
• Academic Operations must record the approved appointment in the institutional register and retain the approved proposal, signed agreement, and related approvals in the designated repository.
• Physical, identity, IT, printing, library, accessibility, health and safety, security, and other practical requirements must be identified and approved before access is provisioned.
• Visiting Scholars and Host Academics must not store, share, or process College data, research data, personal data, or confidential materials in unapproved systems, platforms, repositories, or shared spaces.
• Access to student records, HR, finance, or other institutional administrative systems is not provided by default.
• All institutional access must be removed at the end of the visit unless a formally approved extension or continuing arrangement is in place.

3.    Procedure Steps

3.1.                     Proposal

A Visiting Scholar appointment must be initiated by an NCI academic staff member acting as the Host Academic.

The Host Academic completes the Visiting Scholar Proposal and Approval Form and attaches the proposed scholar’s curriculum vitae.

The proposal should include:

• Name and affiliation of the Visiting Scholar
• Curriculum vitae
• Purpose of the visit
• Proposed duration
• Funding status (paid or unpaid)
• Source of funding
• Proposed access route, including whether home-institution access is sufficient or local institutional access is required
• Any anticipated research data, personal data, or governance requirements
• Anticipated system access requirements and data handling arrangements
• Emergency contact details, to be held securely and used only where required in an emergency
• Whether the Visiting Scholar is affiliated with an existing NCI partner institution
• Physical facilities and practical support requirements, including workspace, building access, staff or access card, printing, library, equipment, accessibility, and health and safety requirements
• Disclosure of any actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest or commitment

3.2.                     Academic Approval

The relevant Dean reviews the proposal and confirms that the visit is academically appropriate, that required resources can be provided, and that any disclosed conflict of interest or commitment can be appropriately managed.

3.3.                     Submission and Registration

Following Dean approval, the Host Academic submits the completed proposal and supporting documents to the Academic Operations Team.

Academic Operations records the approved appointment, proposed dates, and Host Academic in the institutional register, checks that required fields and attachments are complete, and retains the proposal in the designated repository.

No invitation letter, identity profile, access request, or commencement confirmation should be issued until the proposal has reached the appropriate approval stage.

3.4.                     Governance Review

As part of the proposal process, the Host Academic considers data protection, research ethics, confidentiality, intellectual property, and any other relevant governance requirements.

Where required, the Host Academic consults the Data Protection Officer and other relevant institutional functions to determine whether a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA), research ethics review, or other approval is required.

International data transfers may require Standard Contractual Clauses or other appropriate safeguards.

Academic Operations coordinates any required consultation with Facilities, Human Resources, IT Services, the Library, the Data Protection Officer, the Research Ethics Process, system owners, and other relevant functions.

Any conditions arising from governance review must be recorded on the proposal or attached approval record and completed before the relevant activity or access begins.

3.5.                     Visiting Scholar Agreement

Prior to commencing the visit, the Visiting Scholar must sign a Visiting Scholar Agreement covering confidentiality, intellectual property, data protection compliance, adherence to institutional policies, conflict-of-interest disclosure, material changes to the approved activities, and compliance with the access approved in the Visiting Scholar Proposal and Approval Form.

A signed copy of the Agreement and the approved proposal will be retained by Academic Operations in the designated institutional repository.

3.6.                     Invitation Letter  and Partner Notification

Where required for visa or institutional purposes, an official invitation letter is written by the relevant Dean, with Academic Operations coordinating its issue following the completion of relevant academic and administrative approvals.

Where the scholar is affiliated with an existing NCI partner institution, Academic Operations will notify the relevant partnerships or international function so that the institutional partnership record and any appropriate welcome arrangements can be updated.

3.7.                     HR and Identity Provisioning

Both paid and unpaid Visiting Scholars who require access to NCI facilities, including the building and library, must have a core profile created in order to receive a staff card and institutional access.

Paid Visiting Scholars must also be set up on payroll through the appropriate HR onboarding process. Unpaid Visiting Scholars do not require payroll setup but must still be registered through the relevant administrative process for access purposes.

Academic Operations will coordinate approved identity and access requests with Human Resources, Facilities, IT Services, the Library, and other relevant functions.

Visiting Scholars may engage with adult students as part of approved academic activities under the oversight of the Host Academic. Activities involving children or vulnerable adults, or any activity requiring Garda Vetting or additional safeguarding controls, must not commence until the relevant requirements have been confirmed and completed.

Visiting Scholars who do not require local NCI access may rely on access provided by their home institution or other federated access arrangements where appropriate.

3.8.                     Facilities, Library and Institutional Access

Facilities, IT Services, the Library, Human Resources, and relevant system owners will provide only the physical and digital access recorded in the approved proposal. Access must be approved in advance, time-limited, restricted to the minimum necessary, and removed at the end of the visit. College data must not be stored or shared through unapproved external systems.

The approved Visiting Scholar Proposal and Approval Form may include building access, a staff or access card, workspace, meeting or teaching rooms, printing, Wi-Fi, email, Microsoft 365 or approved collaboration tools, library access, research facilities, and specialist equipment.

Access to student records, HR, finance, or other institutional administrative systems is not provided by default. Any exceptional access requires documented business justification, approval by the relevant system owner, confirmation of permissions, and defined access dates.

Accessibility, reasonable accommodation, health and safety, security induction, and equipment requirements must be identified and arranged before access is activated.

3.9.                     Induction and Commencement

Before the visit commences, the Host Academic and Academic Operations confirm that the required agreement, approvals, identity profile, access, induction, workspace, and other arrangements are in place.

The Host Academic provides an academic and local induction, including the approved scope of activity, relevant policies, emergency arrangements, information security, data handling, safeguarding, and points of contact.

3.10.                Oversight and Material Changes

The Host Academic is responsible for academic supervision, ensuring that activities remain within the approved scope, and notifying Academic Operations of any material change. Academic Operations is responsible for maintaining the institutional record and coordinating administrative actions.

A material change includes a change to the visit dates, funding, activities, research data or personal data, external platforms, system access, host, institutional relationship, conflict disclosure, or safeguarding requirements.

A material change must be reviewed and approved before it takes effect. The Agreement, approved proposal, institutional register, or related approvals must be updated where necessary.

3.11.                Completion of Visit and Close-Out

At the end of the visit, the Host Academic completes the close-out confirmation and Academic Operations coordinates removal of building, identity, library, and system access. Institutional materials and data must be returned, retained, transferred, shared, or securely deleted in accordance with approved arrangements. The close-out confirmation should record, where applicable, return or deactivation of cards and accounts, and return of equipment.

The Host Academic should complete any data arrangements, outstanding publications or research agreements, and any approved continuation of collaboration.

4.    Roles and Responsibilities

5.    Records and Retention

Academic Operations will maintain the institutional register and retain the approved proposal, curriculum vitae, signed Agreement, governance approvals, invitation letter where applicable, material-change approvals, and close-out confirmation in the designated institutional repository.

Access to emergency contact details and other personal data will be restricted to authorised staff and retained in accordance with NCI data protection and retention requirements.

Operational records should be accessible to the relevant authorised functions while being protected against unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure.

6.    Exceptions and Escalation

Any proposed exception to this procedure must be documented and referred through Academic Operations to the relevant Dean and policy owner, with advice from the relevant institutional function where required.

NCI may delay, restrict, suspend, or terminate a visit where approvals are incomplete, risks cannot be appropriately managed, or the Visiting Scholar does not comply with the Agreement or institutional requirements.

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