Agency Specific RCR Training Requirements
The following are RCR training requirements for specific federal agencies including the NSF, NIH and NIFA.
National Science Foundation (NSF)
At the time of proposal submission, the institution must certify via its authorized representative that it has a plan to provide appropriate RCR training and oversight to all investigators, regardless of career stage, who are supported by funds from an NSF grant to conduct research. The plan is not required to be submitted as a part of a proposal application, but the agency may request it at any time. The NSF does not require a specific method of delivery or minimum hours of instruction, but the organization advises that the training should be effective and appropriately tailored to the specific needs and circumstances at each university. Accordingly, it is the responsibility of each institution to determine both the focus and the delivery method for appropriate training. Institutions are responsible for verifying that the training has been received.
The NSF RCR training requirement applies to anyone receiving support from the grant, including PIs, key personnel, and sub-awardees. Anyone listed on the grant, even if he or she does not directly receive funds from the grant, is required to complete RCR training. The institutional training plan must be in place at the time of the proposal, but the actual training of individuals can take place at a later time as long as that expectation is listed in the institutional training plan.
The online RCR course available through the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) satisfies the NSF RCR training requirement.
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
NIH RCR training requirements are detailed in their notice number NOT-OD-10-019 from 2011. NIH policy 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.
The NIH recognizes that online courses can be a good supplemental resource, but that RCR training should involve more comprehensive didactic coursework with a focus on face-to-face training and small group discussions. Faculty should be directly involved in RCR instruction, in both formal and informal capacities, and those with the proper, foundational knowledge should be prepared to act as mentors. NIH requires at least 8 contact hours for training, which must be completed for every career stage, or at least every four years.
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) – NIFA
USDA requires that any institution completing research funded by the USDA must foster an atmosphere conducive to research integrity, bear primary responsibility for prevention and detection of research misconduct, and maintain and effectively communicate and train their staff regarding policies and procedures. The institution affirms, as part of the acceptance of the award, compliance with this policy.
USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) updated their RCR requirements effective June 30, 2017. In the event an application to NIFA results in an award, the Authorized Representative (AR) assures, through acceptance of the award, that the institution will comply with the above requirements. Award recipients shall, upon request, make available to NIFA the policies, procedures, and documentation to support the conduct of the training. Training can be either on-campus or off-campus training. The general content of the ethics training will, at a minimum, emphasize three key areas of research ethics: authorship and plagiarism, data and research integrity, and reporting misconduct.
The online RCR course available through the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) satisfies the NIFA RCR training requirement.