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Research Administration Certification Program (RACP)

The course is offered annually and available to University of Houston (main campus) employees via UH Access.

Course Description

The Research Administration Certification Program (RACP) is an online training program sponsored by the Division of Research (DOR) for all campuses of the University of Houston (UH) faculty and staff. It is designed to disseminate comprehensive instruction/information pertinent to research administration at UH.

For the participant of RACP, certification will allow him/her to assist the faculty with departmental research administration matters. External entities that fund university-sponsored programs require knowledgeable staff to assist in administering awards made to university researchers. The overall goal is excellence in research administration that contributes to the University's Tier One status.

Instructor Information

Each module will have a content instructor. You may contact the instructors via email anytime there is a need.

Certification Policy and Requirements

In accordance with MAPP 08.01.01, each college, department, and unit business administrator must ensure compliance with the Office of Contracts and Grants (OCG) that requires obtaining certification through RACP.

Effective FY2021, DOR requires staff members managing sponsored programs to complete or renew the full RACP certification every five (5) plus annual training on selected modules in order to maintain the ability to certify research expenditures and assist with proposal submission in their respective departments and colleges.

Course Objectives

The participant will be able to:

  • Identify the UH mission with special emphasis on the research mission and experience the academic environment related to research administration.
  • Examine the key components of sponsored program administration, including pre‐award and post‐award roles.
  • Identify the compliance requirements for conducting research involving human and animal subjects, biohazards, conflict of interest, responsible conduct of research, and research misconduct.
  • Apply the fundamentals of Export Control and Effort Reporting.
  • Identify the components and information required to develop a competitive proposal as well as how staff can assist their faculty with the development and submission of proposals.
  • Identify the steps for successful proposal processing and submission.
  • Examine the key components and processes of award negotiation and acceptance.
  • Apply research administration concepts for effective grant management.
  • Apply the fundamentals of the UH closeout policy, cost overruns, and financial reporting for sponsored projects.

Enrollment

Mandatory training

At the beginning of each fiscal year, OCG updates the training materials.  Employees must register for the training via P.A.S.S in AccessUH. If certification is needed to begin submitting proposals or to review and sign off on research expenditures, the user must register for all nine modules.  The modules will be available throughout the fiscal year for completion at the user's pace.  For instructions on registering for the modules, download the RACP Online Registration User Guide.

Non-Mandatory training

Students workers and other university employees who are not required to take the course can also enroll and complete the training. Individuals who do not have a university of Houston employee identification number and access to the Employee Online Training module must work with their respective department contacts to establish a Person of Interest (POI) designation to access the information.  

RACP Course Schedule

The entire course consists of nine (9) Modules. 

Module 1: The Academic Research Environment
Module 2: Sponsored Projects Overview
Module 3: Compliance (IRB, IACUC, COI)
Module 4: Compliance (export control, effort reporting)
Module 5: Proposal Development and Processing
Module 6: Negotiation and Award Acceptance
Module 7: Award Management 1
Module 8: Award Management 2
Module 9: Closeout and Financial Reporting

Assessment

Grading will be based on the following module requirements:

Module Tests: A twenty (20) question exam will be administered for the content of each module.

Participation: Participation is essential to success in this class. All participants are encouraged to develop mentor relationships with fellow colleagues, staff, and instructors. The interactions between participants and OCG staff are aimed at enhancing learning beyond the content presented in the modules.

Commitment to Integrity - Netiquette

All students in this course (and other UH employees) are expected to maintain a high degree of professionalism, commitment to active learning, and participation in this class.