Transcript Roundtable: Research Administration MUHAS, Dartmouth, UCSF Goals, Roles, and Organizational Models Monday October 20, 2014

Roundtable: Research
Administration
MUHAS, Dartmouth, UCSF
Goals, Roles, and
Organizational Models
Monday October 20, 2014
Agenda
O What is a “Research Administrator”
O Organizational Models of Our Institutions
O Roles and Responsibilities
O Professional Development
O Core Competencies
Why does the public invest in research?
O Innovation is key to economic
O
O
O
O
competiveness
Technological breakthroughs improve our
lives
Growth of highly skilled jobs
Improved standard of living
Technology for national security
Research Administrator
O "Each year, hundreds of men and women
enter the profession of research
administration. Many of them do not even
realize they are joining a profession."
(Kulakowski & Chronister)
O Scientists? Accountants? Managers?
O Service role that supports the research
enterprise
The Role of Research
Administrator
O Works in higher education, industry,
O
O
O
O
O
hospital, research institutes
Leadership
Vision
“Tone from the top”
Support required for success in research
programs
Oversight and compliance
The Role of the Research
Administrator
O Research admin practiced in a variety of organizations
O
O
O
O
O
O
O
(higher ed, industry, hospitals)
Many research admin positions within an organization
Positions have diversified, specialized over time
Typically, fall into oversight of the conduct of research and
oversight and compliance of sponsor’s management and
fiscal requirements as stated in a grant or contract
Not referring to the direction of an individual project (this
would be called project management)
After WWII, with increased federal support, a new role was
created and the field of research admin was started.
What specialized skills or knowledge are required to fulfill
this role?
Various structures:
O
VP for Research oversees both aspects
Research Administrator Competency Model
Proposal
Development
Budgeting and
Planning
Communication
Project
Management
Fiscal
Stewardship
•Research funding opportunities
•Review RFAs and RFPs
•Proposal development
•Submission guidelines
•Routing and Approval
•Direct vs. Indirect Costs
•Cost Sharing
•Budget templates
•Communicate proactively and effectively
•Understand communication styles
•Network with colleagues to share and obtain
information
•Ability to explain and support a decision
•Set and manage priorities
•Manage tasks
•Manage project timelines and dependencies
•Set up payroll distributions
•Post charges
•Monitor and reconcile expenditures
•Run grant reports
•Close out awards
/
Source:http://hr.ufl.edu/learn-grow/business-administration/sponsored-research-training/research-administrator-competency-model
Research Administration
Dartmouth College
Research Administration
University of California San
Francisco (UCSF)
Research Administration
Muhimbili University of Health
and Allied Sciences (MUHAS)
Activity
Principal
Investigator/
Department
Pre-award Activities:
Review request for proposals (RFA) Prepare
Prepare proposal:
Administrative components
(information about the institution)
Budget
Science
Review & sign-off
Format & Upload/submit
Award Acceptance
Post Award Activities
Financial Monitoring and Reporting
Completing Scope of work
Research
Administrator
Institutional
Official
Discussion:
Centralization vs.Decentralization
O Is your organization decentralized or
O
O
O
O
centralized?
What are the advantages?
Are functions in research administration
specialized?
What are the arguments for specialization?
What are the disadvantages?
Discussion:
Functions
O How are functions organized?
O Customer focus
O Generalist
O Specialist
O Product focus
O “Geographic” aka by unit or location
What do you think are the
most important skills for a
successful research
administrator?
Discussion
Characteristics of Successful
Research Administrators
O Believers in the vital importance of research
O
O
O
O
O
(cheerleader, advocate)
Derive satisfaction from the success of
researchers
Ability to interpret regulations, guidelines,
funding trends and other information, find
meaning and tie information to the research
mission
Clear communicators
Good problem solvers (weigh risk, propose
innovative solutions)
Demonstrate high levels of ethics and integrity
Professional Development
O Association of Research Managers and
Administrators (UK) ARMA, The majority of
ARMA's members are from UK universities, but
the association also includes members from
hospitals, research institutes and funders, from
the UK and other countries in Europe and Africa.
O National Council of University Research
Administrators
O Association of Research Administrators in Africa
(AARA). Website, araafrica.org
O Eastern Africa Research and Innovation
Management Association (EARIMA)
Discussion: Professional
Development
O Have you participated in conferences or
other professional development activities?
O What has been most helpful in learning new
skills in research administration?
O Do you have a mentor?
O Are on-line resources useful?
Resources
The following websites contain useful information
O http://grants.nih.gov/grants/about_grants.htm
O http://grants.nih.gov/grants/foreign/index.htm
O http://ec.europa.eu/research/iscp/index.cfm
O http://www.theglobalfund.org/en/
O www.inorms.org
O www.ncura.edu
O www.srainternational.org