At AAU, it is mandatory to create a Data Management Plan for your research project. The plan describes how your research data will be handled throughout the project, including how it will be collected, documented, stored, protected, shared and preserved.

At AAU, you have access to tools and templates that can guide you through the process of creating your Data Management Plan.

Read more about Data Management Plans here

Contact CLAAUDIA for questions and support here

If your research project involves the processing of personal data, you must register the processing through AAU's online registration system. The registration helps identify the data protection requirements relevant to your project and supports the lawful and responsible handling of personal data. Use the link below to register your project and access guidance on processing personal data in research.

Read more and register your research activity here

Contact the Contract Unit for questions and support

Some research activities raise ethical questions that require special attention. To help researchers identify these at an early stage, AAU has developed a screening tool that helps determine whether a research activity involves research ethics considerations.

By answering a series of short questions, you will receive an assessment of whether your activity should be reviewed by the Research Ethics Committee. The screening typically takes only a few minutes to complete. If your research activity involves research ethics considerations, the tool will automatically guide you to the relevant follow-up questions.

Read more and apply for research ethical approval here

Contact the Contract Unit for questions and support

At AAU, researchers are expected to maintain an up-to-date researcher profile in VBN. Your profile helps disseminate your work, presents who you are as a researcher, and makes it easier for collaborators and funders to find you. As VBN ranks highly in search engines, a well-maintained profile increases the visibility of your research. Ensure that your profile reflects your current affiliation, research areas, and activities. ORCID is mandatory for all AAU researchers and must be linked to your researcher profile. Researchers are also encouraged to maintain an up-to-date CV and Teaching Portfolio, providing a structured overview of research, teaching, and other academic activities that can be used across a range of professional contexts.

Read more about researcher profiles and ID’s here

You must always contact your local research support team (and Fundraising & Project Management if they are involved in the application process) to discuss and prepare your research budget.

Make sure that indirect expenses are included in your budget in accordance with AAU’s Budget Guidelines. Indirect expenses cover costs such as rent, electricity, water, heating, building maintenance, IT, HR and financial administration.

Read more about research budgets here

Read more about overhead here

Contact Project Economy for questions and support here

It is important to consider your publication strategy at an early stage of your project, including your choice of output type, journals or publishers, and target audiences. Planning ahead helps you select relevant publication channels and increases the visibility of your research. You should also be aware of Open Access requirements, as AAU encourages Open Access publishing and requires you to upload an Accepted Author Manuscript if the final version is not openly available. Addressing these aspects early supports compliance and helps maximise the reach and accessibility of your research.

Read more about publication strategy and Open Access here

Contact the VBN team for questions and support here

If you plan to travel as part of your research, remember to include the expected travel expenses in your budget and make sure you are up to date on AAU’s latest guides and rules for travel and expenses.

Read more about travel & expense here

Contact the Travel & Expense Office for questions and support here