Responsible Conduct of Research

UNI students, faculty and staff engaged in human subjects research, as well as research supported by certain sponsored programs, must complete required training. UNI provides training resources to meet these requirements through its subscription to the CITI program.  Information on how to access training is provided on this page.  If you are unsure about the type of training you need, please contact rsp@uni.edu. 

Supplemental training is offered throughout the year through various forums, panels and workshops, as shared on RSP's Training and Events webpage.  

Research & Sponsored Programs

Training through CITI

Human Subjects and Responsible Conduct of Research Training is provided through an online training provider, CITI.  CITI Program accounts are available to persons 18 years of age or older without restriction, subject to a valid affiliation with an active CITI Program Subscriber Organization or a valid registration of an Independent Learner subscription. Persons creating CITI Program accounts from its website or through organizational portals agree as a condition of use that they are: (a) 18 years of age or older; or (b) if under 18, have parental permission to access CITI Program materials. If you have questions about this training requirement, please contact rsp@uni.edu. 

Human Subjects Research Training

Human Subjects Research training is required for key personnel who are conducting research with human subjects.  Please visit the Human Subjects Protections Training page for more information and access to resources.  (The Responsible Conduct of Research training courses on this page do not meet the human subjects training requirement.)

 

RCR Training for NSF / NIH / NIFA Grants

Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training is required for certain sponsored-programs including National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) programs. Faculty, staff and students supported by NSF and NIFA programs meet this training requirement through UNI's subscription to the CITI program.  Note that NIH sponsored projects have additional training requirements.  Please refer to the guidance on this page for each sponsored program.   

 

National Science Foundation

  • All undergraduate students, graduate students, post-doctoral researchers, faculty and other senior personnel supported by NSF, must complete RCR (aka "ReCR") training.
  • NSF funds for supported staff may not be charged to the grant for staff, until RCR training has been completed.
  • Training must also include a mentoring component for post-doctoral students.
  • Training must be renewed once during each career stage and at least once every four years.
  • Training may be fulfilled by the RCR course offered through CITI.  Additional training is encouraged.
  • It is the responsibility of the PI and Department Head to ensure that personnel supported through NSF have secured the proper training, prior to working on projects.
  • ​RCR training must be on file with the RSP office and will be verified by RSP staff.
  • Once training is complete, a certificate will be automatically sent to the RSP office and will be recorded.
  • View the requirements here:

 

National Institute of Health

  • All trainees, fellows, participants and scholars receiving support through certain awards must complete RCR training.
  • A training plan must be submitted with the grant proposal, cover suggested content, and include substantial face-to-face discussions.
  • UNI provides an online Responsible Conduct of Research course through CITI.  However, completion of the CITI RCR online course, alone, does not fulfill the NIH requirement.
  • Training must be renewed once during each career stage and at least once every four years.
  • Training may be fulfilled through a combination of CITI RCR Program and additional in person / interactive sessions.
  • View the requirements here:

 

National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  • All students, graduate students and postdoctoral scholars working on NIFA funded research must complete training.
  • Training may be completed through the CITI RCR program.
  • View the requirements here:

 

Other Training Resources