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. View CITI Training Website.
- Under “Select Curriculum” participants will be given five choices:
- Human Subjects
- RCR Basic Curriculum (NOTE: this is the required RCR course)
- RCR Basic Curriculum + Human Subjects (NOTE: this is the required IRB course)
- RCR Basic Curriculum + Animal Subjects
- RCR Basic Curriculum + Human and Animal Subjects
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
NSF Policy (as of July 23, 2023)
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.
Procedures for completing required modules
NIH Policy on Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) and FCOI
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 instruction in responsible conduct of research. This policy also applies to any other NIH-funded programs supporting research training, career development, or research education that require instruction in responsible conduct of research as stated in the relevant funding opportunity announcements. The purpose of the NIH Update on the Requirement for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research is to update the agency’s policy on instruction in the responsible conduct of research, to convey some of the consensus best practices that have evolved in the research training community over the past two decades, and to provide access to additional information that may be useful to institutions and individuals in meeting their obligations under NIH policy.
