The Research Administration Improvement Network

(TRAIN)

Mission/Statement of Purpose

Knowledgeable research administrators are essential to the management of the research enterprise. The primary focus of The Research Administration Improvement Network (TRAIN), is to build the research support infrastructure by enhancing the professional competencies of those who contribute to the research enterprise, implementing training and education, improving business processes and reporting, and enhancing communication within the research community.

The Role of Research Administration

The role of research administration is to support investigators by facilitating their efforts to conduct research in a flexible and supportive environment - an environment that is characterized by evolving regulatory requirements and a need for managed risk. The complexity of research administration requires knowledgeable, highly adaptive, and skilled professionals who have expertise in the areas of:

• Budgeting
• Proposal Development
• Electronic Research Administration systems
• Compliance
• Research Misconduct
• Bio safety
• Radiation Safety
• Export Controls
• Financial & Costing
• Award Management
• Sponsor Terms and Conditions and Contract negotiation
• intellectual Property
• Purchasing
• Human Resources
• Payroll
• Travel
• Accounts Payable
• Grant Billing
• Grant Accounting
• Sub recipient Monitoring
• Internal Audit

Research universities have the responsibility of ensuring that there are sufficient, adequately trained research administrative staff members to maintain institutional integrity. This is accomplished by continuous training. Implementation and standardization of research -related business processes, best ;practices, and training curricula will enhance institutional efficiencies and minimize financial risk.

To address the training needs of the research administration community, the USF Office of Research & Innovation proposed the creation of an organizational advisory group group know as The Research Administration Improvement Network (TRAIN). USF St. Petersburg representative on TRAIN are:

• David Everingham, College of Arts & Sciences
• Patricia Scott, Office of Research

TRAIN meets quarterly: Galleria, Interdisciplinary Research Building - Tampa

October 2008

January 2009

April 2009

July 2009