In 2009, the National Institutes of Health updated its policy for instruction of trainees in the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR). The revised policy, Update on the Requirement for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research, states: “NIH 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.”
RCR Training at UC Berkeley
Online training alone is not acceptable to NIH. There are several options at UC Berkeley for RCR training; trainees may choose what is best for their goals and schedules. Two training options are listed here. Some departments and graduate groups also have their own courses.
1. Responsible Conduct of Research Seminar Series
This year-long, 12-part seminar series, Seminars on the Responsible Conduct of Research, is offered to the UC Berkeley campus as an alternative to traditional courses that offers a flexible way to receive training in RCR. The seminar series provides an opportunity to interact with people who are involved in research at many different levels, from students to faculty to staff and administration. This series is sponsored by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, Research Enterprise Services, and the Center for Computational Biology. Attendees who participate in a minimum of eight sessions will receive a Certificate of Completion at the conclusion of the series. Graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, faculty members, and staff members are invited to attend.
Update: Due to high demand and limited space, please RSVP for these seminars, specifying which Fall Semester seminar(s) you hope to attend. All seminars are scheduled to take place from noon-1:00 pm in 177 Stanley Hall, but may be moved to a larger location; please check the schedule for updates. The first seminar is September 12, 2011.
2. UC Berkeley Extension
UC Berkeley Extension and the UC Berkeley Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research are offering free training this fall, on campus, for eligible applicants: UC Berkeley Required Training in the Responsible Conduct of Research for NIH. Training applications for the fall term are due by August 30, 2011. Additional training will be offered in 2012 for applicants with later grant review deadlines.
More information on UC Berkeley RCR training for both NIH and for National Science Foundation research projects is available at Required Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Training on the Research Administration and Compliance web site.
