Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research (RECR) Training Requirements
Clark University subscribes to the online training resource, Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI), to provide access to training in RECR core areas, including Human and Animal Subjects.
Training Requirements
The following procedures support the RECR Training Requirements that apply to all NSF supported projects* as well as other research conducted at Clark:
- PIs are responsible for directing all undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers supported by their NSF awards to successfully complete the CITI RCR training course within 60 days of commencing work on the project.
- The CITI course can be accessed from any computer. New participants will need to create an account by clicking on “Register” under “Create an Account,” then selecting “Clark University” for your organization affiliation, then completing the required registration information. CITI Training Website
- Under “Select Curriculum” participants will be given five choices:
- Human Subjects
- RCR Basic Curriculum
- RCR Basic Curriculum + Human Subjects (NOTE: this is the required IRB course)
- RCR Basic Curriculum + Animal Subjects
- RCR Basic Curriculum + Human and Animal Subjects
NOTE: NSF RECR Requirement
* For NSF awards: You MUST take the RECR Refresher Course if you previously completed RECR (or RCR) training before July 1, 2023. The refresher course includes modules on mentorship and data management, which were not available prior to July 2023.
All courses include a “refresher course.” It is recommended that you take a refresher course if you have completed any of the required courses within the last three (3) years. After three (3) years, it is recommended that you complete the full course requirement.
If Human Subjects and/or Animal Subjects are NOT a part of a your NSF-sponsored work, you should select the RECR Basic Curriculum. If Human Subjects and/or Animal Subjects ARE a part of your NSF-sponsored work, you should choose the curriculum that includes the relevant material(s).
National Science Foundation Policy
All grant applications to NSF must certify that the institution has a plan, “to provide appropriate training and oversight in the responsible and ethical conduct of research to undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers who will be supported by NSF to conduct research.” It is expected that all researchers at Clark University carry out their work according to the highest ethical and professional standards. The responsible and ethical conduct of research (RECR) is critical for research integrity, especially the professional standards expected of researchers.
Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research Training is a framework for conveying these standards, and an important component of scholarly and career development.
All Principal Investigators, Co-PIs and senior personnel named on NSF proposals submitted on or after July 31, 2023, and undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral researcher supported on NSF awards must complete RECR training (NSF 23-1).
Faculty and senior personnel should complete training within 60 days of the receipt of funding. Undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate researchers should complete training within 60 days of salaries being charged to an account.
In July 2023, NSF expanded the required training topics to include data management and mentorship. For proposals submitted on or after July 31, 2023, PIs, Co-PIs, and senior personnel named on resulting award, and postdocs, undergraduates, and graduates charging salary to the award must complete a refresher course with the updated modules.
Principal Investigators are responsible for not only overseeing and mentoring their students and researchers in the responsible and ethical conduct of research, but also for ensuring that all undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers supported by their NSF awards are successfully completing the designated modules of the online course.
- Once participants have completed their registration and course selection, they will be required to complete course modules and pass quizzes in the following RECR core areas: research misconduct, data acquisition/management/ownership, publication practices and responsible authorship, peer review, mentor and trainee responsibilities, conflict of interest, collaborative research, data management and mentorship – in addition to human subjects and/or animal subjects were applicable. Optional case studies on the required material are available during the online course.
- Successful completion of the course is estimated to take between four and six hours. The course does not need to be completed in one sitting. Participants may log out at any point and return at a later time to complete the course.
- OSPR will receive confirmation of the participant’s successful completion of the course directly from CITI. PIs should also maintain a record of their students’/researchers’ successful completion of the training.
Please do not hesitate to contact OSPR with any questions on the RECR requirement, the CITI program, or any of the above procedures.