Dear Colleagues,
As you know, the federal government requires that researchers applying for federal research funding must have taken Research Security Training within 12 months of a proposal submission. Federal agencies (such as DOE, NSF, and NIH) have implemented training requirements at different times which has resulted in numerous compliance periods. To reduce confusion and ensure simpler compliance moving forward, effective January 2027, the University is requiring that faculty engaged or expected to be engaged in federally funded research complete Research Security Training on an annual basis. Here is what this means for you:
For the remainder of 2026:
- It is strongly recommended that all faculty currently engaged or planning to be engaged in federally funded research who have not already completed Research Security Training complete this training now.
- Faculty who have previously completed Research Security Training must ensure that they have completed it within 12 months of the date of their application or Other Support (for NIH) submission. For example, if an individual first completed Research Security Training on April 1, 2025, and plans to submit a grant application on June 1, 2026 (more than 12 months after completion), they must complete Research Security Training prior to the submission.
- ORPA will not submit a proposal unless each PI, Co-PI, or other senior/key persons have completed Research Security Training within 12 months of the submission date. The training is currently accessible in MyPath by searching for “Research Security” in the search bar.
For 2027 and Moving Forward:
- In January 2027, and each January thereafter, all faculty engaged or expected to be engaged in federally funded research will be required to complete Research Security Training through an assignment in MyPath. Researchers will be notified of the assignment in December and will have one month to complete the training.
- Faculty engaged or expected to be engaged in federally funded research should be aware that they will be required to complete Research Security Training in January 2027 even if they have recently completed it (such as in late 2026). This is necessary to ensure consistency moving forward. Please keep this in mind as you decide when to complete Research Security Training this year.
If you have questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.
Thank you.
Joe Doyle
Research Security Officer