Working Groups - FAQ

1.    What is the difference between CLARIN Partners and CLARIN Members?

• “CLARIN partners” are the organisations that constitute the consortium that has signed the contract (these days called Grant Agreement) with the EC. At this moment CLARIN has 32 partners in 22 countries.
• “CLARIN members” are the organisations that have registered themselves to become a member and that have been accepted as such by the CLARIN Executive Board. Click here to see how many CLARIN members there are currently.

All CLARIN partners are also members but not all members are partners.

2.    Is my organisation a CLARIN member, and if not, how can we join as a member?

On http://www.clarin.eu you can find who the current members are and how your organisation can join. Only organisations can become members, not individuals.

3.    I have been appointed as a core member of a WG for the duration of 3 person months. Can I use this time to do my own research or research on my own language?

No, you work on the contractual tasks assigned to you by the WG leader (in close consultation with your partner site manager).

4.    I have worked as a core WG member for 5 person months instead of the 3 that were allocated to me. Can we claim more labour reimbursement from the project?

No, your budget is fixed.

5.    I am working as a core WG member but I am too busy with other things. Can I just pull out?

No, your WG task follows from a contractual obligation. You will have to ask your site manager to find replacement for you before you can resign.

6.    I am working at a partner site but I have not been appointed by my site manager as a core WG member. Can I still participate?

Sure, you can join as an associate WG member in any WG for which you have the right expertise. Just respond to the Call for Participation.

7.    I am working at a partner site as an associate WG member. Can we charge my salary and travel costs to the project budget?

No, there is no budget for that. Your person months can be included in our reports as your organisation’s contribution to the project, but without reimbursement.

8.    I am working as a core member in a WG but I would prefer to be moved to another WG. Is that possible?

Yes, but you will have to discuss this with your site manager who will have to find replacement for you. In the other WG you will have the status of associate member.

9.    I have been allocated 3 PMs to do my work as a core member in a WG. Can I spread them in whichever way I want?

No, this has to be negotiated with WG leader and site manager as work on specific tasks in a WG may have interdependencies that require synchronisation.

10.    It is very hard to keep track of the time I spend on a task. Is it really necessary?

Yes, the EC requires that you keep time records in the form of timesheets or other means. If you don’t have them your labour cannot be reimbursed.

11.    I am an associate WG member from a CLARIN member site but we are not partners. Can I just resign if I want?

Yes, unless your involvement in this activity follows from commitments to nationally funded activities. You will always have to notify the WG leader.

12.    I am an associate WG member and I would like to attend the next WG meeting. Am I entitled to reimbursement of my travel costs?

No, the project budget does not allow for that. We recommend that you try to get support from your national CLARIN funds. Funding agencies in all 22 countries that participate in the project have committed themselves to providing financial support to CLARIN activities at the national level, but how and when these funds will be spent is beyond our control.

13.    I have another question. What can I do?

Contact Steven.Krauwer /at/ let.uu.nl