Skip to content

Research Education

Main Navigation

 

 

Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research
at the University of Utah

Enhance your research career with a Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research (RECR) certificate from the Office of Research Education.

Our program offers expert-led workshops and real-world case studies to instill the highest standards of integrity and ethical behavior in your research.

all RED CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS

Faculty, Staff, and Scholars Certificate

enroll NOW

The RECR Certificate is designed for research or principal investigators, scholars, research coordinators, and study staff across all research settings. Participants will learn best practices and proper procedures for conducting Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research (RCR) in health sciences, social and behavioral sciences, and STEM fields. The program emphasizes the importance of RCR in compliance with federal and state regulations, professional standards, and University policies.

Program Details

  • Designed for researchers, principal investigators, scholars, and study staff.
  • Covers eight subject matter areas required by NIH and NSF.
  • Includes best practices and proper procedures for RCR in various disciplines.
  • Emphasizes the importance of RCR in compliance with regulations and policies.

Certificate Requirements

  • Complete four REd RCR foundation classes and one elective class.
  • Total of ten contact hours.
  • Three in-person classes and two online classes.
  • Two of the in-person classes must be foundation classes.

Program Timeline and Renewal

  • Typically takes two semesters to complete.
  • Some classes are offered only twice a year.
  • Plan your schedule accordingly.
  • Each class credit is valid for 18 months.
  • The certificate is valid for three years.
  • Renewal of the certificate is recommended every three years.

Program Classes

Required Foundation Classes (Complete All 4 Classes): 
Elective Classes (Complete 1 Class):

 

Undergraduate & Graduate Students Certificate

enroll NOW

The RECR Certificate is essential for students involved in federally funded research and is often mandatory for such grants. While many departments have established RECR training for graduate students and postdocs, the Graduate School and the Office of Research Integrity & Compliance offer a comprehensive program for units without existing training. This program is available at no cost to University of Utah affiliates.

Completion of this certificate ensures thorough training in responsible research conduct, preparing students to meet the highest standards in their research endeavors.

Program Details

  • Designed for undergraduate and graduate students in all research settings.
  • Covers eight subject matter areas required by NIH and NSF.
  • Includes best practices and proper procedures for RECR in health sciences, social and behavioral sciences, and STEM fields.
  • Emphasizes the importance of RECR in compliance with regulations and policies.

Certificate Requirements

  • Complete five REd RECR training classes totaling ten contact hours.
  • Four required classes, plus one additional class chosen from the bioscience or non-bioscience focus.

Program Timeline and Renewal

  • Flexible pathway with both in-person and online class options.
  • Typically takes two semesters to complete.
  • Some classes are offered only twice a year.
  • Plan your schedule accordingly.
  • Each class credit is valid for 18 months.
  • The certificate is valid for three years.
  • Renewal of the certificate is recommended every three years.

Program Classes

Required classes for all students (complete all 4):
Elective Classes:
Biosciences Students (Select at least 1)
Non-Biosciences Students (Select at least 1)

NIH Requirements

“Responsible conduct of research is defined as the practice of scientific investigation with integrity. It involves the awareness and application of established professional norms and ethical principles in the performance of all activities related to scientific research.”

However, recognizing that advances in video conferencing now allow for effective face-to-face discussions to occur electronically, institutions may wish to consider incorporating video conferencing options into their RCR instruction, provided that those options are utilized in a way that fosters discussion, active learning, engagement, and interaction among the participants. At the same time, video conferencing should not be the sole means for meeting the requirement for RCR instruction, and a plan that employs only video conferencing will not be considered acceptable, except in the circumstances described in NOT-OD-10-019, such as short-term research training and research education programs.

NIH Requirement for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research

NSF Requirements

Effective July 2023, the National Science Foundation (NSF) has issued new training requirements for Responsible & Ethical Conduct of Research (RECR) and Research Mentoring (RM).

These training policies are described in the current Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures
Guide (PAPPG 23-1). 

NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide 

How to Report Research Misconduct

Any student, faculty, staff or other person may make a complaint of misconduct.

To Report:

CALL THE RIO: 801-581-4212
Email researchintegrity@utah.edu

Anonymous Reporting:

www.ethicspoint.com

Research Integrity Officer

Zachary Mitchell
801-581-4212
zachary.mitchell@hsc.utah.edu 
researchintegrity@utah.edu
research integrity officer website 

 

Use this questionairre to find out if you need RECR training.

 

 

 

 

 

Join Our Community!

 

 
 

RED Listserv

 
 

 

 

 

Questions about the RECR Certificate?

contact us

researcheducation@utah.edu

 

Last Updated: 9/4/24