General

1. What is Global Programs for Research and Training?
2. What is the purpose of Global Programs for Research and Training?
3. Where are the Global Programs Offices located?
4. How is Global Programs related to the University of California?
5. How does Global Programs support UCSF’s goals of equitable global health partnerships?
6. What is the legal status of Global Programs, and how does it relate to UCSF?
7. How did Global Programs start?

Governance

1. How is Global Programs governed?
2. Who serves on the Global Programs Board of Directors, and how are members appointed?
3. What is the role of the International Research Support Office in management of Global Programs for Research and Training?
4. Who is responsible for issuing Global Programs policies and how are they developed? Are they publicly available for review?

Operations

1. What services are provided by the Global Programs Offices?
2. What are the advantages of using Global Programs?
3. How are the Global Programs Offices structured?
4. If a project already has a local partner institution that they are working with, why would the project also need support from the Global Programs office?

Utilization

1. Who can use the Global Programs offices?
2. Is a separate subaward agreement necessary to utilize Global Programs services?
3. Are UCSF projects required to use Global Programs offices to support their research in countries where there is a Global Programs registration?
4. What is the set-up process for initiating Global Programs support? How long does it take?
5. Can a researcher utilize Global Programs' expertise for advisory services?
6. Can an investigator or department request the opening of a Global Programs office in a new country?

Finance

1. How is Global Programs funded?
2. How much does it cost to use Global Programs?
3. Do Indirect Costs charged to the grant contribute to Global Programs office support?
4. What kind of financial tracking and documentation is available?
5. How are expenses incurred through Global Programs reflected in the UCSF accounting system?
6. Are payments made in US Dollars or local currency? How are currency fluctuations handled?
7. Is Global Programs considered a local entity in the registered country under Federal Funding definitions?
8. Can Global Programs apply for grants and directly receive funding?

Human Resources

1. Are Global Programs employees also considered UCSF employees?
2. How are Global Programs local staff hired, and who has input into the hiring decisions?
3. Can a UC employee work in a Global Programs office?

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General

1. What is Global Programs for Research and Training?
   Global Programs is the foreign operating affiliate of UCSF, specifically to support UCSF’s mission of advancing health worldwide. Registered as a non-governmental organization (NGO) in foreign countries, Global Programs allows UC researchers to directly guide and implement their international research and training activities. All grants are managed by UC, with specific processes (HR, Procurement, Logistics, etc.) supported by the local Global Programs offices. Global Programs operates under policies that are aligned with UC policies, but modified as needed for compliance with local laws and regulations.
2. What is the purpose of Global Programs for Research and Training?
   Global Programs are locally registered offices in foreign countries that act as an extension of UCSF to direct and support the implementation of UCSF research and training activities on behalf of faculty investigators. This allows the investigator/department more direct control and oversight of project implementation and further mitigates potential compliance risks associated with working in a foreign jurisdiction. Global Programs allows UCSF to act as a more equitable partner by implementing locally alongside the communities that participate and benefit from the research. By hiring experienced local staff, Global Programs also builds local capacity, and can serve as a catalyst to initiate and strengthen partnerships with local institutions.
3. Where are the Global Programs Offices located?
   Global Programs offices are currently located in Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda. These were established with the approval of the UC Office of the President. Further registrations could be explored if approved by UCOP and supported by initial startup funding.
4. How is Global Programs related to the University of California?
   Global Programs is a wholly owned and controlled affiliate of the University of California. Each Global Programs office has specific policies for Human Resources, Finance, Procurement, and Travel. Global Programs’ policies are aligned with existing UC policies, as much as possible, with some exceptions related to local laws and regulations in the countries where Global Programs is registered. Global Programs employees are affiliate employees and have access to UC systems. Global Programs accounting systems are integrated with UCSF systems for streamlined financial management and reporting. While UCSF provides management and oversight of Global Programs, other UC campuses are also able to use these foreign entities for research and training activities.
5. How does Global Programs support UCSF’s goals of equitable global health partnerships? 
   Global Programs allows UCSF to think and act locally rather than virtually or from a distance. Global Programs does not seek to compete against UCSF’s local partners, but instead enhance UCSF’s support and involvement in the implementation of local projects through day-to-day collaboration with local partners. Global Programs also facilitates compliance to local laws, customs, and approaches, while allowing UCSF to contribute to local business and civil society through research and training activities.
6. What is the legal status of Global Programs, and how does it relate to UCSF?
   Global Programs was established as a foreign affiliate entity of the University of California in 2011 by the UC Office of the President’s Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs and is governed by the UC’s Presidential Policy on International Activities. In foreign countries, Global Programs is registered as a non-governmental organization (NGO) and is required to follow all NGO laws and regulations of the countries where they are located.
7. How did Global Programs start?
   Following years of global health work in foreign countries, there was demand by UCSF researchers and award sponsors to establish a local presence in foreign countries to provide more day-to-day management of research and training projects. Based on UCSF’s research portfolio, East Africa (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania) were the initial target countries. In 2011, UCOP granted UCSF approval to open Global Programs affiliate offices in any African countries that received funding from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). The first country registration was completed in Tanzania in 2012, with both the Tanzania and Kenya offices officially starting operations in 2015. The Global Programs offices in Mozambique, Namibia, and Uganda were opened in 2016.

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Governance

1. How is Global Programs governed?
   The UC Office of the President delegated authority of Global Programs to UCSF’s Chancellor, who has further delegated responsibility to the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost. The Chancellor and Provost have named UCSF faculty and administrative leaders to serve on the Global Programs Board of Directors.
2. Who serves on the Global Programs Board of Directors and how are members appointed?
   Each Global Programs registered office has a Board of Directors, which includes a core of five UCSF faculty and staff representatives, as well as local national representation required by the individual country. The number of local representatives on the Board varies by country. The Global Programs Core Board includes the following representation: UCSF Finance and Administration (acting as Board Treasurer); Office of Research; Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost’s office; and two faculty representatives with experience in global health.
3. What is the role of the International Research Support Operations Office (IRSO) in management of Global Programs for Research and Training?
   IRSO is a centralized resource for UCSF stakeholders and includes three dedicated Global Programs support staff who act as a secretariat to the Board of Directors. IRSO manages day-to-day communication and management support for the Global Programs offices along with three other staff who provide ad hoc support as needed.
4. Who is responsible for issuing Global Programs policies and how are they developed? Are they publicly available for review?
   Global Programs policies are aligned with UC policies, modified as needed to conform with local laws and regulations, such as local labor laws. IRSO coordinates the review and updating of Global Programs policies based on any changes to UC policies or local law. UCSF stakeholders and Global Programs staff provide feedback if there is a need to modify policies for compliance or service quality reasons. IRSO seeks campus subject matter expertise based on the policy type. Global Programs policy revisions are reviewed and approved by the Global Programs Board of Directors.

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Operations

1. What services are provided by the Global Programs Offices?
   As a locally registered entity, Global Programs offers numerous services associated with implementation of project activities, including but not limited to: human resources, procurement, financial management, operations and logistics, legal and compliance support, and local partner collaboration and proposal development. For more information, see Support Services.
2. What are the advantages of using Global Programs?
   1. More direct control and oversight of hiring and procurement for international project activities
   2. Fast project set-up and ability to start work immediately in a foreign location
   3. No sub-award agreement or monthly invoicing required
   4. Experienced and knowledgeable Global Programs support staff
   5. Financial accounting and reporting that is integrated into UCSF systems and accessible to UCSF program staff on a real time basis
   6. Flexibility and fast turnaround times for execution of vendor and service contracts
3. How are the Global Programs Offices structured?
   Each office is supported by a Program Management Team that includes at least three or four individuals to ensure adequate separation of duties for finance and procurement processes. Program Management teams vary based on the number of projects and their support needs. Common departments in a larger office include Finance/Accounting; Procurement; Logistics and Transport; and Information Technology.
4. If a project already has a local partner institution that they are working with, why would the project also need support from the Global Programs office?
   Local partners are an important part of any international research activity. In collaboration with local partners, Global Programs offers the ability to fill gaps or enhance operational support that local partners may not be able to provide, such as:
   1. Compliance with UC or sponsor expenditure guidelines and reporting requirements
   2. Support the swift implementation of an international research activity by working alongside local partners
   3. Serve as liaison on behalf of UCSF with local partners to facilitate smooth implementation of project activities

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Utilization

1. Who can use the Global Programs offices?
   Global Programs can be used by any investigator within the UC system who has a project with a health or science focus. While Global Programs offices are aligned with UCSF administrative and accounting systems, investigators from other UC campuses may engage Global Programs through an inter-campus agreement. Note: Global Programs is not for use for one-off financial transactions, but rather for ongoing project support. Please consult with IRSO if you need support for a one-off financial transaction to see what options may be available.
2. Is a separate subaward agreement necessary to utilize Global Programs services?
   The utilization of Global Programs does not require a subaward agreement. Because Global Programs is a wholly owned and operated entity of the University of California, these foreign offices are an extension of the University and governed by its policies. Engagement of Global Programs includes a brief orientation to the services offered, how to utilize them, and expected costs. Global Programs is currently developing a non-binding service agreement to better clarify the roles and responsibilities of all parties involved.
3. Are UCSF projects required to use Global Programs offices to support their research in countries where there is a Global Programs registration?
   The utilization of Global Programs is not required; it is available where necessary or advantageous to the UCSF researcher.
4. What is the set-up process for initiating Global Programs support? How long does it take?
   Sponsored Awards: Once a sponsored award is received and registered in RAS, an award can be set up for spending in-country in three to five days.
   Non-Sponsored Awards and Gift funds: For these award types, a placeholder award needs to be registered in RAS. This process can take a few days longer. Grant Managers should contact Global Operations for detailed instructions on forms and information required to set-up an award as well as to discuss the reporting scheme required by the sponsor.
5. Can a researcher utilize Global Programs’ expertise for advisory services?
   While the management of award activities requires funding support for shared administrative service costs, Global Programs and IRSO Office provide free advising services regarding implementation in the local contexts where Global Programs has registered entities. Reach out anytime at [email protected].
6. Can an investigator or department request the opening of a Global Programs office in a new country?
   The opening of additional offices can be explored based on project needs. Common reasons for opening a new Global Programs office include desire to maintain more control over project implementation, a direct request by the award sponsor to establish a local entity, the high-risk nature of the project activities or context in which the activities are implemented, or lack of qualified partners available for collaboration. The opening of a Global Programs office in a new country requires UCSF Chancellor and UCOP approval. Furthermore, registration as a local entity will require a lead time of three to 12 months and funding to support associated costs, such as local legal counsel. UCSF only encourages the opening of a new Global Programs office if there is a clear need, a longer-term project period (at least three years), and designated funding for start-up costs.>

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Finance

1. How is Global Programs funded?
   In-country program management support costs are shared among all projects directly supported by Global Programs in a particular country. This is a proportional charge for all direct project costs spent locally and varies by country. Shared support costs range between nine to 16 percent based on the volume of project spending and program management needs. Central administration of Global Programs at UCSF is supported through core campus funding.
2. How much does it cost to use Global Programs?
   Global Programs applies a shared service fee for central administrative in-country costs. In Kenya and Namibia/South Africa (shared operations), a re-charge mechanism with a consistent proportional fee has been approved by UCSF Budget and Resource Management. This fee may be adjusted over time based on activity volume and administrative costs to ensure achievement of a net-zero balance, as is required under UCSF policy. As of 2022, the re-charge fee is 9 percent for Kenya and 16 percent for Namibia/South Africa applied to all in-country expenditures.

   Smaller offices are charged a proportional allocation fee, similar to a re-charge, to support in-country administrative costs. This fluctuates more regularly based on the volume of awards and activities managed under the project but usually falls between 10-20 percent.

3. Do Indirect costs charged to the grant contribute to Global Programs office support?
   Indirect costs collected from awards do not contribute to the shared services costs that support Global Programs administration. University core funding does support the IRSO Office and central Global Programs administration at UCSF, which provides advisory and support services at no additional cost. Shared administrative costs in-country are charged a percentage fee against all active awards currently managed by Global Programs in a particular country.
4. What kind of financial tracking and documentation is available?
   Global Programs processes are intended to tie seamlessly with UCSF’s policies and processes to allow for effective global support with minimal delay. In order to track the expenses that Global Programs incurs for a project/activity, UCSF will account for Global Programs expenses/activities in a separate project chartfield(s) of the award in the RAS/financial system.
   
   For each project/activity, Global Operations will work with the Grant Manager to develop a ‘Class’ code (similar to a Speedtype) for recording expenses. Each expense is vouchered and sent electronically via DocuSign for Programmatic and Financial approval. The approvers for each project/activity are nominated by the Principal Investigator or Program Manager.
   
   In this way the source documentation for the transaction is available in the approvers DocuSign folder of completed items. In addition, it is archived to a Finance folder on Box for the Global Programs Country office; as well as attached to the financial journals in PeopleSoft.
5. How are expenses incurred through Global Programs reflected in the UCSF accounting system?
   Expenses in a Global Programs office are journaled to a local currency ledger in PeopleSoft. The journal is reviewed and approved by the third business day of UCSF’s monthly financial close. At the same time, expenses are translated to USD and journaled to the SFCMP ledger in PeopleSoft and approved by the third business day of UCSF’s monthly financial close.
   
   The line description(s) for Payroll transactions will reflect the staff name, effort and month; and the payroll worksheet will be the backup attachment to the journal. For Non-payroll transactions, the line description(s) will reflect the Voucher ID, Class and Vendor; and the voucher with invoice will be the backup attachment to the journal.
   
   Within MyReports, one can obtain a Transaction Detail Report of only Global Programs expenses by using Report Specific Filters for Source Code and Journal Preparer (to reflect the local Accountant’s name and user ID). Global Programs accountants use 535 Financial journals to record transactions.
6. Are payments made in US Dollars or local currency? How are currency fluctuations handled?
   Payments are made in local currency but are translated into the US dollar equivalent when posted to the UCSF project general ledger. Because currency exchange rates typically fluctuate during the term of a grant, programs need to budget accordingly and allow for possible re-budgeting to accommodate these fluctuations. The IRSO Global Operations Team can assist with estimating exchange rates for budget purposes based on historical rates. Funders will typically not adjust award levels based on currency fluctuations.
7. Is Global Programs considered a local entity in the registered country under Federal Funding definitions?
   Because Global Programs is wholly controlled by the University of California, and the majority of members of the Board of Directors are employees of the University of California and U.S. citizens, Global Programs does not quality as a legal entity. Global Programs does not qualify as a local entity under US federal funding guidelines. An entity is defined as “local” to a country if it meets ALL of the following criteria:
   1. The entity is incorporated or legally organized under the laws of, and have its principal place of business in the country;
   2. The entity must be 75 percent beneficially owned by individuals who are citizens or lawfully admitted permanent residents of the country; or at least 75 percent of the entity’s senior staff must be citizens or lawfully admitted permanent residents of the country; and
   3. At least 51 percent of the entity’s Board of Directors must be citizens or lawfully admitted permanent residents of the country.
8. Can Global Programs apply for grants and directly receive funding?
   Global Programs as an entity and its staff cannot apply directly for or receive funding. While Global Programs staff may contribute to proposal development and sponsor communications, all award proposals and awards must include a UCSF investigator. All awards managed under Global Programs are administered through UCSF’s Office of Sponsored Research.

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Human Resources

1. Are Global Programs employees also considered UCSF employees?
   Global Programs staff are not UCSF employees, but they are an extension of the UCSF community. For legal reasons, Global Programs for Research and Training is the registration name for UCSF’s foreign entities. Global Programs acts as the Employer of Record for local staff. Technical staff can be managed by UCSF staff under this arrangement, while operational staff are overseen by the Global Programs Board of Directors and IRSO Office. Global Programs staff utilize UCSF equipment, have access to UCSF systems, and can participate in UCSF activities. Every effort is made to ensure a strong linkage between our international-based Global Programs staff and UCSF staff.
2. How are Global Programs local staff hired, and who has input into the hiring decisions?
   Global Programs recruitment and hiring of program staff follow a standard process as outlined in the HR Manual and which is in line with UCSF hiring practices. Projects work with the Global Programs Operations Teams, and have input into the full hiring process, including expected salary range, interviews and final hiring decisions. Salary scales are set to be competitive in the local labor market and are paid in local currency. For equity purposes, programs should not request a salary outside of the salary range established for a specific job category.
3. Can a UC employee work in a Global Programs office?
   A UC employee can be assigned to a Global Programs office as an expatriate employee if their role and responsibilities require their presence in-country. The employee must receive appropriate work permissions by local authorities of the foreign country. UC expatriate employees assigned abroad receive UC retirement and insurance benefits and may also receive additional benefits (e.g., re-location, housing, and security costs) associated with their foreign assignment as determined by their department. Global Programs supports the department and employee to secure appropriate work permissions and facilitates local tax compliance as necessary.

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