RCR Training Formats

General Information

All persons involved in whose research activities must understand the underlying principles of responsible conduct of research that will assist in discouraging research misconduct and questionable research practices. The America COMPETES Act requires institutions receiving funding to conduct research to have a plan for appropriate training and oversight in the responsible and ethical conduct of research (RECR) for faculty, other senior personnel, undergraduate and graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers who will be supported by NSF, NIH and USDA (NIFA) to conduct research.

The below training modules information about the underlying principles of responsible conduct of research designed to discourage research misconduct and questionable research practices. UMBC may accept evidence of training (e.g. certificate of completion) from other institutions. Please forward these documents to RCR@umbc.edu for review.

NIH RCR Training Requirement

NIH requires 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 receive in person RCR training. Information on in person training can be found under RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT OF RESEARCH (RCR) MICROCREDENTIAL SERIES For more info about the NIH policy and required instructional components (format, subject matter, faculty participation, duration of instruction, and frequency of instruction), please see NIH RCR FAQ. The most recent NIH notice outlining requirements for RCR instruction are located here: (NOT-OD-22-055).

Which NIH programs must follow the RCR training requirements?

    • NIH requirements for RCR training are detailed in NIH notice NOT-OD-10-019. These requirements apply to the following programs: D43, D71, F05, F30, F31, F32, F33, F34, F37, F38, K01, K02, K05, K07, K08, K12, K18, K22, K23, K24, K25, K26, K30, K99/R00, KL1, KL2, R25, R36, T15, T32, T34, T35, T36, T37, T90/R90, TL1, TU2, and U2R.

 

 

Additional Information and to Sign up for In-Person Workshops

NSF RCR Training Requirement

NSF requires all undergraduate, graduate students, postdocs, faculty and senior key personnel who receive NSF support (salary and/or stipend) to conduct research be provided RCR training. For more info please see NSF RCR FAQ.

UMBC Requirement for NSF-Sponsored Training

In response to NSF’s requirement, UMBC requires all students, postdocs, faculty and staff conducting research and paid (salary and/or stipend) from a NSF-sponsored project to complete the RCR Training provided through the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI).

New Guidance for 2023

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has issued new guidance that requires all principal investigators, co-principal investigators, and senior personnel who are or will be supported by NSF funds to complete Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research (RCR) training. This requirement will be effective for all proposals and awards beginning July 31, 2023. Completion of the online “RCR-Basic Course” through CITI fulfills this training requirement.

NIFA RCR Training Requirement

NIFA requires all program directors, faculty, graduate students, undergraduate students, postdoctoral researchers and staff who are paid from NIFA grants receive RCR training. The RCR training provided to each individual must be documented and is subject to NIFA review.

Full text can be found on page 5 of the NIFA’s February 2013 Agency-Specific Terms & Conditions (PDF). For newer versions of the NIFA Agency Specific Terms and Conditions, please visit the NSF host website.

UMBC Requirement for NIFA-Sponsored Training

In response to NIFA’s requirement, UMBC requires all Principal Investigators, faculty, graduate students, undergraduate students, postdoctoral researchers and staff who are paid (salary and/or stipend) directly from a NIFA sponsored project to complete the RCR Training provided through the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI). 

citi

UMBC Access to CITI RCR Training Modules

Training modules in CITI are available to the entire UMBC community. These are customized to cover the training topics, including authorship, collaborative research, data, management, mentoring and peer review for a number of specific disciplines in the fields of Biomedical Sciences, Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Engineering. Instructors who teach an existing course that includes an RCR component may include the CITI training as part of the course.

IMPORTANT: The RCR modules cannot be substituted for the basic courses required for human subjects research or laboratory animal welfare.

IMPORTANT NOTE: ALL RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT OF RESEARCH TRAINING MUST BE REPEATED EVERY 4 YEARS.

First step:

  • Using your UMBC login credentials, click on the University of Maryland, Baltimore County Single Sign On (SSO) login link on the CITI Program’s website. 
  • Persons with a current CITI login will be directed to their current CITI course list.
  • If you do not have a current CITI login, you will see this screen. Click on the appropriate link and follow the below instructions
  • Click on Register link in top right.
  • Set up an account for yourself – in “Select Your Organization Affiliation” section, make sure to select “University of Maryland, Baltimore County” by typing it in box. Then follow the rest of the instructions to create your account.
  • When asked “Which courses do you plan to take”….
  • Scroll to “Question #3” and under ” Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Courses ” select the course that is relevant to your discipline or course of study:

                    Biomedical Responsible Conduct of Research – 7 required modules

                    Social and Behavioral Responsible Conduct of Research – 7 required modules

                    Physical Science Responsible Conduct of Research – 7 required modules

                    Humanities Responsible Conduct of Research – 7 required modules

                    Responsible Conduct of Research for Engineers – 9 required modules

  • Once courses selected, click “Submit”
  • Then complete the courses
  • Once the initial training period has ended, CITI will provide instruction to renew training modules with a refresher course.

 

Please feel free to contact us at RCR@umbc.edu.

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