The Fundamentals of Research Administration

Radisson Blu Hotel, Glasgow

6th June 2011

Target Audience

This intensive one-day course was aimed at Research Administrators who probably had a maximum of one year's experience in university research centres/institutes or central offices, or in the NHS, or in the offices of sponsors of research.

This one-day course took the key elements of our long-established annual Induction workshop and concentrated them into a single day for those new to research administration and attending their first conference. The course targetted key knowledge areas for research administrators: it was an intensive day!

Please note: this course focused specifically on research administration in universities. Whilst much of the content was applicable to research administration in other public sector settings, some material was university-specific. We were not able to offer parallel sessions on this occasion.

Objectives

Those in their first few months of service found the course essential in providing them with a good overview of the core elements of research administration, including those elements in which they are not directly involved, and in equipping them with the basic 'body of expertise' needed to carry out their roles effectively. Those with a little more experience found the course useful in consolidating knowledge gained to date, in showing how different elements are linked, and in filling in some gaps in their learning for their role.

Participants completed the course with a clearer understanding of the relevant policy, legislative and funding frameworks, research governance issues, and the sources of funding available for research. They had an opportunity to develop their comprehension of research contracts, project management, and costing and pricing processes.

Course Team:

Tony Weir, Heriot-Watt University

Linsey Dickson, Heriot-Watt University

Rossana Dowsett, University of Sussex

Robert McKinney, Heriot-Watt University

Pauline Muya, Birkbeck College

John Rodgers, University of Stirling

Programme
Price
Venue
Travel
Queries
Booking

Programme

8.30	Coffee and Registration
9.00	Welcome and introductions
9.15	Session 1: Organisation of Research Administration Pauline Muya, Birkbeck College This session looks at some common ways of organising research administration functions in universities. We will look at the tasks covered by 'pre-award' and 'post-award' teams and the tasks that fall outside these areas. Participants will have an opportunity to compare their location and organisation with others in their working group.
9.45	Session 2: Planning and Managing Research John Rodgers Where do you start in planning a project? How can you help academics in their planning? What about managing it effectively and avoiding problems when it becomes a reality? This short session introduces some widely used project planning approaches and discusses some key elements of project management which can be used in research projects.
10.30	Coffee
11.00	Session 3: Research Policy and Funding Tony Weir, Heriot-Watt University What role do governments have in setting research policy and funding research? How is the quality of research assessed and what role does peer review have? This session will explain the purpose of the REF, the dual support system and outline other research funders.
12.30	Lunch (Business Centre)
13.30	Session 4: Costing and Pricing of Research Linsey Dickson, Heriot-Watt University What are the costs of undertaking a research project? How much can we charge the funder for it? This session looks at the different elements of a project budget and provides an opportunity to practise preparing a costing. Whether or not your role involves costing research, an understanding of what goes into a project budget is essential knowledge for all research administrators.
14.45	Session 5: Research Contracts Robert McKinney, Heriot-Watt University This factual session looks at the background to contracts - what they are and why they matter - before taking a tour of the 'standard' sections of a contract and key things to look out for when a funder sends you a contract for signature.
15.45	Afternoon Tea
16.15	Session 6: Research ethics and scientific integrity Rossana Dowsett, University of Sussex This session looks at some of the theory behind the development of research ethics as well as considering research integrity and scientific misconduct. We then focus on research with human participants and the issues that may arise, using a case study approach as well as reviewing legislation and funder rules.
17.15	Session 7: Review and looking ahead A review of the day and looking ahead to the sessions on offer during the main conference.

Price

ARMA members: £225
Non-members: £292

Venue and Travel

The course took place in the Radisson Blu Hotel, Glasgow, the venue for the ARMA Annual Conference, which began the following day.

Queries

The contact for queries on course content is Tony Weir.

Booking

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