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The vast majority of international support is managed daily by existing Duke systems and procedures. By taking a risk-based approach, Duke provides an adaptable framework to facilitate international activities requiring more support.
Duke University engages in a wide range of international activities, with each program potentially requiring different levels of support due to the country’s laws and regulations where the program or research activities are taking place. Every country has rules for topics such as taxes, immigration, data privacy, and labor that must be considered, along with potential consequences to Duke, Faculty, and staff (or all three) for not properly structuring the project to meet these local rules. Consequently, a one-size-fits-all approach is difficult to achieve in the international space.
Review this presentation for additional information on the International Support at Duke.
Risk Assessment
Duke risk assessment is divided into 3 Tiers, each with its own program characteristics which in turn leads to the best potential support options.
Tier 1
Low Risk & Complexity
- Routine non-reoccurring activities that are supported day in and day out by Dukes normal systems and procedures
- Limited if any support required
Tier 2
Medium Risk & Complexity
- Extended academic/research activities whose activities in country (hiring local staff, requirement for local spend, etc.) may require a partner or more robust support to accomplish program objective needs
- Enhanced support required
Tier 3
Significant Risk & Complexity
- Associated with Long Term presence in country and the need to perform activities that require local regulatory considerations such as opening a bank account, or hiring local staff
- Permanent support required
Support
- Leveraging local partners such as Universities and NGOs to solve in-country support needs is the best practice
- Local partners understand the country-specific rules an likely already have strategies in place
- Duke has invested in a dedicated staff to support the challenges of international research
- This supplements the subject matter experts across Central Administration (Tax, Payroll, AP, Research Administration, etc.)
- Duke has invested to support long-term programs with robust in-country needs by establishing legal entities in Kenya, Tanzania, China, Germany, India, UK, Spain, and Kazakhstan. These entities support the program needs that Duke University, as a US-based and incorporated company, could not compliantly perform in each of these countries.
- All support must begin at the school or department level with project research administrators and business managers.
- International activities incur higher costs and take longer to execute than similar domestic programs.