Leading Change.
Inspiring Excellence.

Our Annual Meeting is heading to New Orleans! Join us during the month of October for access to a vast slate of workshops, main events, educational tracks and social networking opportunities designed to fit our members' schedules and needs.

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Certificates

On-site and looking for the tracking sheet? Download the Certificate Tracking booklet here.
You can also view the individual pages for the Certificates offered in full here:


The Society of Research Administrators International maintains 10 certificate programs encompassing every aspect of Research Administration – Hospitals, Universities, Nonprofits, and Commercial Institutions. SRA International’s certificate programs offer comprehensive training specific to today’s educational needs of research administrators.

  • The curriculum for each program includes required workshop(s), four (4) to eight (8) required sessions and one (1) to six (6) elective sessions.
  • Certificate program course credit is earned and awarded only if full SRAI membership is in effect at the time the course is taken. In other words, only full members may receive credit for taking certificate program workshops and sessions. Chapter members, non-members and those with lapsed membership will not receive educational credit for any certificate program sessions or workshops taken during this time.
  • SRAI members have up to three years to complete the courses from a specific certificate program requirement, allowing you greater flexibility to manage time, travel and budget constraints. 
  • Download the Certificate Tracking Booklet to track your attendance at the meeting.

The four (4) certificates that will be offered in full at the 2021 SRAI Annual Meeting are: 

About Clinical Trials Research Administration (CTRA)

The Clinical Trials Research Administration (CTRA) Certificate delivers intensive training sessions specifically designed to provide an understanding of the critical elements of successful administration of a clinical trials research program. The program has been redesigned to cover the critical elements of clinical trials management for research administrators and to more effectively integrate with other SRAI certificate offerings.  The redesign maintains the required curriculum which introduces the student to the body of knowledge required to perform as an accomplished clinical trials research administrator.  This certificate covers broad topics that allows for its content to be well integrated with the Research Integrity certificate also offered by SRAI.

The CTRA curriculum examines issues relevant to both National Institutes of Health-sponsored and industry-sponsored clinical trials. Much of the material is explored through experiential learning activities from seasoned research administrators including case studies. Elements of the curriculum include protocol review, recruitment, negotiation of agreements, development and negotiation of budgets, compliance, billing, international studies, and risk management and analysis. These elements, along with other relevant issues, will be presented in a combination of one full-day workshop and seven sessions for completion of the program.

Download the CTRA Certificate Tracking Sheets

About Introduction to Research Administration and Management (IRAM)

The comprehensive curriculum - developed by some of the "best of the best" instructors in the field - provides an overview and introduction to the broad field of research administration and management. Elements of the curriculum include understanding the environment and context within which research administration is conducted as it relates to such diverse areas as:
  • research law,
  • research ethics,
  • fiscal management,
  • regulatory compliance,
  • sponsored program administration, and
  • pre- and post-award management.
Download the IRAM Certificate Tracking Sheets

About Leadership (LD) 

Individuals generally get selected into leadership positions because of strong technical skills; however, they excel in these positions based on their ability to interact successfully with others and communicate in effective ways. There is a need to understand one’s self and work to develop strong competencies in others.

The comprehensive curriculum, developed by knowledgeable and successful leaders in the research administration, provides an overview and introduction to the communication and other necessary skills to lead research administration and management offices. Elements of the curriculum include personality and leadership assessments and sessions in conflict management, change, delegation, diversity communication skills, and using metrics to help with team effectiveness.

Download the Leadership Certificate Tracking Sheets

About Research Law (RL)

The law related to the administration and management of research is incredibly broad, diverse and dynamic. While research administrators frequently work with in-house counsel and sometimes with outside counsel, the Research Law certificate is designed to give research administrators an overview of the magnitude of the multiple legal issues associated with research. Research administrators taking this certificate will be provided with sufficient information and substance to effectively identify legal issues and communicate effectively regarding potential solutions to such issues. Lawyers working with research institutions work on cases and policy relating to a broad range of topics that include access to artificial intelligence, confidential information, insurance coverage, conflicts of interest and other ethical issues, drugs safety and international relations. In part because of the breadth of the field, the law related to research activities also cuts across and involves doctrine and practice from an even wider area ranging from tax law, criminal law and even issues that involve freedom of speech implications.

Law related to research administration is practiced in multiple settings: federal, state and local government; mediation; universities, health care, business, and legal services organizations; advocacy nonprofits; and private law firms, to name a few. Some research administrators may hold a juris doctor (JD) although they may not serve as lawyers for their organization. They may serve in roles such as compliance, contract negotiation, policy drafting or advocacy work. This diversity makes the law related to research a field where almost anyone can find an area of interest, and where those working within the field can find new challenges in an ever-changing landscape.

Because of the foregoing, the Research Law certificate is broadly structured to cover an array of topics with concentrations in those areas of most common concern. The certificate is based on an intensive workshop survey of the various aspects of the law that will touch almost every research administrator and lawyer working with research institutions.

Download the Research Law Certificate Tracking Sheets

The Certificate Tracking Booklet

Download the Certificate Tracking booklet here. (This version of the Tracking Booklet was posted on October 20, 2021. Please note that T101 has been moved to T403. This session is required for the Leadership Certificate.)

The tracking booklet allows members to easily record their progress. Download the Certificate Tracking Booklet and at the conclusion of each workshop or session, write "Fall 2021" on the line corresponding with that session. Once all coursework has been completed turn in your documentation to Registration at the meeting or e-mail it to srameetings@srainternational.org to receive your certificate of completion. If you attended a workshop or session at a previous SRAI meeting, list the meeting on the line next to the course. SRAI staff will verify your attendance at previous meetings

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