Certificates

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.

Certificate Tracking Booklet COMING SOON. In the meantime, access individual tracking sheets for Certificates offered in full at this year's meeting:

The three (3) certificates that will be offered in full at the 2022 SRAI Annual Meeting are:

Pre-Award (PA)
Practice of Research Administration and Management (PRAM)
Research Law (RL)

About Pre-Award (PA)

The best preparation for a successful funding decision is the solid planning and preparation on the variety of issues needed to submit a high quality competitive proposal. The work of pre-award research administrators prepares the way for successful implementation of the funded project. The Pre-Award Certificate provides instruction in the broad scope of responsibility for research administrators who work with investigators to plan, develop, and prepare grant proposals for submission, and who trouble-shoot with various agency personnel, institutional administrators, and investigators to ensure all issues are clarified before an award is made. The program features workshops and sessions on finding and disseminating funding opportunity information, proposal development and submission, budget preparation, award review and acceptance, post-submission communications, the responsible and ethical conduct of research, electronic research administration (eRA) systems, and other relevant topics.

Download the Pre-Award Certificate Tracking Sheets

About Practice of Research Administration and Management (PRAM)

The Practice of Research Administration and Management (PRAM) certificate focuses on the supervision and organization of research activities from an organization management perspective. The core content for the certificate emphasizes:

leadership development,
research administration staffing and management,
research and faculty development,
innovation and economic development, and
integrity and stewardship.

The certificate includes content that is relevant for research managers who are generally at a Director or higher-level within an organization and covers the broad range of activities comprising research operations.

Download the PRAM 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