Help and Training

This section is designed to be a resource for questions and to aid in training and professional development needs related to Research Administration.

STARweb

STAR stands for Specialized Training for Administrators of Research. STARweb was developed for the Institute by OSP to introduce you to the basic principles and policies of sponsored projects administration. You can find additional training on sponsored research topics at http://web.mit.edu/sapwebss.

OSP Forums

These community forums typically convene monthly during the academic year. They aim to bring together members of the research administration community to share knowledge and discuss research administration topics, both current and evergreen. Go to the OSP Forums page to see the schedule and materials from past Forums.

Sponsored Research Training

The MIT Learning Center catalog is the gateway to MIT training and professional development. Research Administration offerings are found in the Administrative category under Sponsored Projects and Practices. You may also search by keyword.

Preview of Spring programs

Fundamentals: Post-Award Administration This course provides an overview of common issues in award management and reporting. This course is designed for those who play a role in sponsored projects administration today but may also prove useful to those who are interested in playing those roles in the future. March 6, 2012

Fundamentals: Sponsored Project Closeout Offered by subject matter experts from Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) and Sponsored Accounting in the Office of the Vice President for Finance (VPF), this short course describes the fundamental issues in sponsored project closeout, from project end to final reports. May 17, 2012

Fundamentals: Introduction to Unallowable Costs Experts from OSP and VPF present cost allowability from conceptual and practical perspectives, concentrating on the allowability of charges to sponsored accounts and the difference between allowable and reimbursable costs. May 22, 2012

Go to the MIT Learning Center and find these programs in the catalog: Administration > Sponsored Projects & Practices. We look forward to seeing you there.

Coeus

Coeus is an Electronic Research Administration system developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Named after the Greek Titan of Intelligence, Coeus was one of the first cradle-to-grave award management systems in the nation. You can find available Coeus training classes at http://web.mit.edu/sapwebss.

Responsible Conduct of Research

The National Science Foundation requires undergraduate students, graduate students and postdoctoral researchers supported on NSF awards to complete an RCR training program. Information about how to comply with this requirement can be found under Responsible Conduct of Research in the Compliance section of the OSP website.

Learning offerings by MIT partner departments

As MIT strives to integrate processes and knowledge across departments, learning offerings converge. Find training that supports consistent, professional financial and sponsored project management below.

Office of the Vice President for Finance (VPF)

See the schedule of upcoming training: http://vpf.mit.edu/calendar_schedules/calendar

All of the VPF offerings are germane to those who have responsibility for sponsored project transactions and management.

Information Systems & Technnology (IS&T)

Financial and sponsored projects management is achieved using MIT systems. Learn skills to use those systems at http://ist.mit.edu/services/training/schedule

Note that IS&T is a key partner with OSP in providing Coeus training to support the system of record for grants management at MIT.

Human Resources at MIT (HR)

HR offers a range of courses on communications, management, leadership and other topics. See especially the following catalog categories in the MIT Learning Center catalog: Career Development and Transitions and Communications and Leadership.

Offerings for all of the departments above, including OSP can be found at the MIT Learning Center online.

Reference Tools

MIT Quick Guide for PIs (PDF)

This short guide to principal investigators’ responsibilities and resources describes ten essentials every PI should know. It focuses on managing sponsored projects and points to additional resources formore information.

Access to, Sharing and Retention of Research Data: Rights and Responsibilities (PDF)

Council on Government Relations publication - Published March 2012
This guide covers:

General guidelines for retention and access of data
Federal agency policies and regulations
Special circumstances that affect the access to, sharing and retention of data