In November, 2009, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued an update
on its requirement for instruction in the responsible conduct of research. This requirement
applies to all NIH Institutional Research Training Grants, Individual Fellowship Awards,
Career Development Awards, Research Education Grants, Dissertation Research Grants, or
other programs with a training component that includes such instruction. In addition to
completing the University’s RCR program, applicants need to seek opportunities for
formal and informal training that is ongoing, relevant to their own disciplines, and
appropriate to their career stage. Applicants are required to provide detailed descriptions
of these activities as part of their applications for funding and reports. For additional
information, please read the 2009 NIH Update:
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-10-019.html.
Resources for additional training about research ethics are available from a
variety of sources:
Below is suggested wording to describe the University of Minnesota Responsible
Conduct of Research (RCR) curriculum, for use on applications for funding from NIH.
Applicants will need to supplement this information with detailed descriptions of college-,
department-, or discipline-specific responsible conduct of research instruction in which
they have participated. Please consult requirements specified in the Funding Opportunity
Announcement, or see the NIH Guidelines for additional instructions (see link above).
Please amend the following wording as necessary to meet the requirements of the funding
program.
All members of the University of Minnesota are expected to exemplify the highest
standards of integrity and ethical conduct. In 1999, The Board of Regents adopted the
policy, “Submitting and Accepting Sponsored Projects,” and the University of Minnesota
Senate approved the “Education in the Responsible Conduct of Sponsored Research and
Grants Management Policy.” These policies require that all faculty and principal
investigators complete instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research and
Scholarship (RCR) as a prerequisite for the receipt of sponsored project funding. In
support of the policies, the University has developed a comprehensive curriculum of
information, instructional materials, workshops, and contacts to help PIs and
investigators meet the challenge of responsible conduct in research and scholarship.
The core RCR curriculum includes basic principles
that are based on key concepts and best practices of research integrity, and
is organized into one two-hour in-person and a series of four online
workshops. The core curriculum is designed to be completed in 6-8 hours. The
in-person workshop was developed and is led by faculty representing a range
of disciplines, and includes presentations and review and small- and
large-group discussions of case studies. The online workshops were developed
by faculty and administrative subject matter experts, and include
presentations and interactive review of material and case studies. Part 1
covers the following ethical topics: History and Values Relating to Research
and Scholarship; Social Responsibility & Reporting Misconduct; and
Authorship, Plagiarism & Peer Review. Part 2 covers the following ethical
topics: Fiscal Responsibilities; Intellectual Property; Research Data Management; and
Conflict of Interest.
To be eligible as a principal investigator, the core RCR curriculum, part 1 and part 2,
must be completed. In addition, eligibility requires instruction on the following
specific topics if they are relevant to the research or sponsored project: Environmental
Health and Safety, Animal Subjects, and Protecting Human Subjects. Formats for this
research-specific training vary, but are mainly online introductions that may be
supplemented with in-person presentations and/or discussions. Duration and frequency
of instruction on these topics varies. Online workshops were developed by faculty and
administrative subject matter experts. Records of completion of all training are tracked
electronically.
The RCR curriculum also includes a
continuing education requirement, which consists of two components: an annual online
review of updates to sponsor and university policies and procedures, and participation
in an “active learning” activity related to responsible research/research
ethics at least once every three years. The online review usually takes 30-60 minutes.
The interactive activities vary in length, but are typically 1-3 hours in length. The
continuing education requirements provide an opportunity to remain up to date about
policies and procedures and to participate in discussions about discipline-specific
issues related to the responsible conduct of research. The RCR continuing education
requirements are mandatory, and records of completion are tracked electronically.
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