Responsible Conduct of Research

NSF and NIH Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Training Requirements and Procedures

The National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) require that institutions offer programs and verify completion in Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training. These requirements are applicable to students, trainees, participants, scholars and postdoctoral fellows receiving grant support from these agencies. As a result of these requirements, the Graduate College and the Division of Research have developed and implemented acomprehensive training program to satisfy these requirements. NSF and NIH are seen as the first in what is expected to be a general movement toward increased RCR oversight from both federal and non?federal sponsors.

National Science Foundation

The NSF requires that, at the time of proposal submission to NSF, a proposing institution's Authorized Organizational Representative must certify that the institution has a plan to provide appropriate training and oversight in the responsible and ethical conduct of research (RCR) to undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers who will be supported by NSF to conduct research. NSF award conditions stipulate that institutions are responsible for verifying that undergraduate and graduatestudents, and postdoctoral researchers supported by NSF to conduct research, have received RCR training. www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/rcr.jsp

National Institutes of Health

NIH requires that all trainees, fellows, participants, and scholars receiving support through any NIH training, career development award (individual or institutional), research education grant, and dissertation research grant must receive RCR instruction. This policy took effect for all new (Type 1) and renewal (Type 2) applications submitted on or after January 25, 2010, and for all continuation (Type 5) applications with deadlines on or after January 1, 2011. Each application type has specific requirements for the inclusion of the RCR training plan or related information. grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-10-019.html

Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) RCR Training

Effective March 1, 2010, FAU requires evidence of Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) RCR training for all Personnel Action Forms (PAFs) and Electronic Personnel Action Forms (EPAFs) for students (undergraduate and graduate) and postdoctoral fellows paid from federal or federal flow through accounts (organizational codes for all federal and federal flow through accounts are identified ending in 41 or 42). CITI is an on?line training program that FAU will use for various compliance training requirements.

FAU Implementation Process

Prior to submitting a student or postdoctoral PAF or EPAF form that includes a federal or federal flow through account, the student or postdoctoral fellow's department must take the following steps:

  1. Advise the student or postdoctoral fellow that they must complete the CITI on-line training
  2. Obtain and keep on file a copy of the student or postdoctoral fellow's CITI on-line training certificate
  3. Indicate in the comments section of the PAF/EPAF that the “CITI RCR training certificate is on file in the department”
  4. Add Research Accountingto the PAF/EPAF approving queue
  5. The final approver in the college Dean's office must check to see that the department has completed step 3 above before forwarding the PAF/EPAF to Research Accounting. PAFs/EPAFs without the CITI RCR training certificate confirmation will be returned to the submitting college.
The Division of Research and the Graduate College together provide RCR training and education for FAU graduate students. For more information regarding RCR Training please visit the Graduate College.




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 Last Modified 11/16/12