A. GENERAL

1. What research funding opportunities are available at CEI?

→ CEI offers two research funding schemes under the ENVISION Grant Program, designed to support projects aligned with CEI’s research pillars.

• ENVISION Grassroots Grants: Up to $20,000 per project, with a duration of up to 18 months.

  Designed for pilot or early-stage research to generate preliminary results and support future external grant proposals.

• ENVISION Flagship Grants: Up to $250,000 per project, with a duration of up to 3 years.

  Supports larger research initiatives with significant scientific and technological impact aligned with CEI’s research priorities.

Application and call timeline:
Please visit the ENVISION Grant Program page on the CEI website for the latest call information and application guidelines, or contact [email protected] for further details.

Reference: CEI ENVISION Grant Program

2.  Who should I contact for administrative support related to my research project at CEI?

→ For administrative and operational support related to CEI research projects, please contact the CEI Office at: [email protected]. The CEI team will coordinate internally to provide support or connect you with the appropriate staff member.
CEI provides support for project-related matters including:

• Personnel recruitment (RA, postdocs, affiliates)
• Procurement of research equipment, materials, and consumables
• Travel arrangements
• Research event organization
• Other project operational and administrative procedures

---

B. PERSONNEL

1. How can a project recruit a Research Assistant (RA) or Postdoc?

→ The PI should submit a recruitment request including:

• Job description
• Funding source (which project will fund the position)
• Expected contract duration

Please send the request to [email protected] for review and processing.

If a candidate has already been identified, please also attach the candidate’s CV for review.

Note: The job description should clearly specify the scope of work and expected deliverables.

2. Can international students from partner universities be hired as Research Assistants for CEI research projects?

→ Yes. CEI projects may recruit postdoctoral researchers or external researchers, subject to project funding availability and VinUniversity’s hiring policies. Possible engagement formats may include:

• Postdoctoral researcher
• Short-term research contract
• Affiliate researcher

The specific arrangement will depend on the nature and duration of the project, as well as applicable administrative and visa requirements. To initiate the process, please contact the CEI Office at [email protected]. The CEI team will coordinate with the relevant administrative units (e.g., HR, RMO) to determine the appropriate hiring mechanism.

---

C. PROCUREMENT

1. What is Centralized Purchasing, and when is it required?

→ Centralized Purchasing refers to procurement managed by Vingroup’s central procurement units for certain categories of goods or services.

• Purchases that fall under centrally managed categories include equipment (CAPEX), merchandise with VinUni logo, event-related expenses (e.g., posters, backdrops, standees, LED screen rentals, etc.), and IT-related items (e.g., servers, licenses, and IT devices).
  *The categories listed above reflect those most commonly requested by PIs/research groups within the scope of research projects. Other categories are also subject to centralized management; please refer to the VinUni Policy for a comprehensive list.
• Purchases that do not fall under centralized categories are typically consumables for teaching & research, laboratory chemicals, and other costs related to research project appraisal, review panels, research sponsorship, inviting guest speakers, copyright/patent registration, data collection.

If you are unsure whether a purchase requires Centralized Purchasing, please contact [email protected].

Reference: Goods and Services Purchasing Management – VinUni Policy

2. How do I initiate procurement for research equipment/materials?

→ The CEI Management Office supports PIs and research groups in procuring chemicals, consumables, tools, and equipment for research purposes.

To initiate procurement, please prepare:

• List of items to be purchased, including type, specifications, and technical requirements (for equipment or tools)
• Estimated budget or vendor quotation (if available)
• Project funding source (which project will fund the purchase / project IO)

Please send the request to [email protected]. The CEI Management Office will review the request and guide the procurement process in accordance with VinUniversity’s procurement procedures.

3. Can I purchase items myself and request reimbursement later?

→ This is not allowed. Any purchase that bypasses VinUni’s policy (kindly refer to attached procedure) will be considered non-compliant, and Finance may refuse to process reimbursement or payment to vendor(s). All purchases must be initiated and approved through the CEI Management Office in advance to ensure full compliance with established procurement policies.

Procurement must be conducted through Centralized Purchasing when the requested items fall under centrally managed categories (e.g., major equipment, IT equipment, or high-value purchases), or when the purchase exceeds the procurement threshold defined by the procurement policy. In such cases, the CEI Office will coordinate with the Centralized Purchasing team to proceed with vendor sourcing, quotation collection, and contract preparation in accordance with institutional procedures.

Reference: Payment Procedure – VinUni Policy

---

D. TRAVEL

1. Whom should I request approval from for project-related travel?

---

E. FINANCE

1. How can I check the remaining budget of my project?

→ If you would like to check the current budget balance or expenditure status of your project, please contact the CEI Office at [email protected]. We will provide an updated summary of the project’s budget and spending status.

2. How can I request a budget reallocation within my project?

→ To request a budget reallocation between budget lines, please follow these steps:
Step 1 – Submit request to CEI
Send a request to [email protected] clearly stating:

• Budget lines to be reallocated
• Amount to be transferred
• Rationale for the reallocation
• Whether the change affects the project timeline or project KPIs

Step 2 – Internal review
The CEI Management Office will review the request and submit it to the CSO for approval if appropriate.Step 3 – Finance approval
After CSO approval, the request will be forwarded to the Finance Office for verification and final approval.

---

F. EVENT ORGANIZATION

1. I want to organize an event with CEI. What should I do?

→ If you are a PI or researcher interested in organizing an event (workshop, seminar, conference, or roundtable), please reach out to the CEI team with a brief concept note including:

• Event objectives and topic
• Speakers
• Target audience
• Expected scale and format
• Proposed timeline
• Budget source (from your CEI project or others)

CEI will review and work with you on:

• Refining the concept and positioning
• Identifying speakers and partners
• Logistics and operations (venue, registration, coordination)
• Budget preparation
• Communication and outreach

We recommend contacting CEI at least 4–6 weeks in advance for small-scale seminar and 8-10 months for international conference.

---

G. RESEARCH COMMUNICATION & VISIBILITY

(CEI encourages Principal Investigators (PIs) to actively share research progress, achievements, and team updates to enhance visibility and impact)

1. Research Team Profiles

→ CEI supports semi-professional profile photography for research members. Profiles will be updated on the CEI website to reflect team composition and expertise.

2. Research Highlights & Stories

→ CEI develops content to showcase research outcomes through:

• Interviews with PIs (strategic insights, project vision, impact)
• Interviews with Research Assistants (RA) (implementation stories, technical work, behind-the-scenes perspectives)

Content formats may include:

• Short features (concise highlights)
• Blog articles (in-depth storytelling), depending on the nature of the research

3. White Papers & Project Showcases

→ PIs are encouraged to provide materials (reports, slides, drafts, data insights). CEI will synthesize and develop white papers or project articles for broader dissemination.

4. Ongoing Updates

→ PIs should periodically share updates on milestones, publications, partnerships, or awards. CEI will curate and amplify these through its communication channels.