Global health research agreements

Getting research agreements in place can be a complex process. We work closely with the Research Contracts and Legal teams at the University of Edinburgh to help.

Research agreements: what you need to know

When should agreements be prepared?

Agreements should be initiated as early as possible - well before the project start date, and ideally as soon as the key details of any collaboration are known. Early preparation helps avoid delays and ensures all parties are aligned before the study begins.

The Contracts team in the Edinburgh Research Office typically leads with initiating these agreements.

Who reviews and signs agreements?

  • For the University of Edinburgh, a Contracts Manager from the Edinburgh Research Office Contracts team or a Solicitor from the Legal team will prepare and coordinate the contract review.

As the Principal Investigator (PI), you’ll be involved in reviewing the agreement, along with your Global Health Sponsor Representative and other relevant teams - such as Edinburgh Innovations, the University Insurance Office, Information Governance, Finance and the Trial Manager (for regulated global health trials).

When should an agreement be signed?

Contracts are signed once the relevant reviewers (usually the University Contracts Manager and NHS Lothian Principal R&D Manager) confirm the agreement is finalised.

Agreements must be signed before your study opens to recruitment, unless your Global Health Sponsor Representative advises otherwise.

Please note: Only individuals with official delegated authority may sign agreements. For the University of Edinburgh, this is usually a Contracts Manager or Solicitor. 

Types of agreement you may need

Types of agreements you may need
Types of agreements you may need Funding Agreement Usually provided by the funder to the University of Edinburgh. The Contracts Team will review the terms and confirm them with the Principal Investigator (PI). Provisions from the funding agreement often flow down into other associated agreements.
Collaboration Agreement Required when the project involves other academic institutions, such as co-applicants named in a funding application.
International Site Agreement Required for each participating site in a global health multi-centre study.
Drug Supply Agreement Needed when an investigational drug is supplied by an external organisation. This agreement outlines responsibilities for supply, handling, and quality.
Technical Agreement Covers manufacturing, packaging, or re-labelling processes carried out by a third party (i.e. not the drug supplier).
Research Services Agreement / Subcontract Used when a third party, including NHS Lothian provides research-related services such as Quality Assurance or Monitoring, usually for regulated global health trials. These can be referred to as either Research Services Agreements or Subcontracts, depending on the context.
Service Level Agreement Used when services are provided by another part of the University - for example, internal laboratories.
Tissue/Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) Required when human tissue or other research materials are transferred between organisations, unless already covered within a Site Agreement.
Data Transfer Agreement (DTA) Covers the sharing of research data with third parties - such as transcription services, data analysts, or external collaborators - particularly when personal or sensitive data is involved.

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