Society for Research Administrators International

Society for Research Administrators International
Name	Society for Research Administrators International
Abbreviation	SRA International
Formation	1959
Type	Professional association
Headquarters	Albuquerque, New Mexico
Region served	International
Membership	Research administrators, administrators of sponsored programs
Leader title	President

Society for Research Administrators International

The Society for Research Administrators International is a professional association founded in 1959 that serves administrators involved with sponsored programs, grants, and research compliance. The organization connects professionals across academic institutions, hospitals, corporations, national laboratories, and nonprofit institutions, supporting practice in areas such as grants administration, compliance, contract negotiation, and research finance. It interacts with federal agencies, philanthropic organizations, and international partners to advance standards and training for research administration.

History

The organization emerged during the post‑World War II expansion of research funding and the growth of institutions such as National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, United States Department of Energy, United States Department of Defense, and United States Agency for International Development. Early meetings involved administrators from institutions like the University of California, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, and Johns Hopkins University addressing matters related to Public Health Service grants and policies from agencies such as the Office of Management and Budget and the General Accounting Office. Over decades the society engaged with changes wrought by legislation and policy developments including interactions with guidance from the National Research Council, responses to regulations influenced by the Bayh–Dole Act, and evolving requirements from agencies like the Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency. International collaboration increased through connections with organizations such as the European Commission, Wellcome Trust, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Australian Research Council, and networks involving institutions like Oxford University, University of Toronto, and Max Planck Society.

Mission and Activities

The organization's mission centers on advancing research administration through education, advocacy, and standards. Activities include outreach to entities such as the National Academy of Sciences, World Health Organization, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and multinational research consortia; participation in policy dialogues with bodies like the Council on Governmental Relations and the Association of American Universities; and collaboration with professional societies such as the American Association of Universities, Association of Research Managers and Administrators, European Association of Research Managers and Administrators, and Association of Clinical Research Professionals. It provides resources addressing compliance with funding bodies including the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, European Research Council, and private funders like the Wellcome Trust and Gates Foundation.

Membership and Structure

Membership spans administrators at institutions including Yale University, Columbia University, University of Michigan, Duke University, Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and international organizations such as Karolinska Institute and University College London. Governance structures include a board of directors and committees that interact with organizations like the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and stakeholder groups including representatives from Princeton University, Brown University, Northwestern University, Imperial College London, and ETH Zurich. Regional chapters and interest groups align activities with entities such as National Institutes of Health institutes, major hospitals, and research consortia.

Professional Development and Certification

Professional development offerings cover topics relevant to administrators working with agencies like the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Education, Department of Energy, and philanthropic funders including the Gates Foundation and Rockefeller Foundation. Training programs and certificate tracks are offered alongside collaborations with universities and continuing education providers including Pennsylvania State University, University of California, Los Angeles, University of Washington, and professional educators like those affiliated with Society for Human Resource Management and Project Management Institute. Certification pathways are comparable in purpose to credentials from bodies such as the Certified Research Administrator programs, and the society has partnered with academic centers and associations to standardize competencies used by research offices at institutions like Cornell University, University of Chicago, and University of Pennsylvania.

Publications and Conferences

The organization publishes newsletters, guidance documents, and conference proceedings that address practices used at institutions like Stanford University, Massachusetts General Hospital, Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins University, and Salk Institute. It convenes annual and regional meetings attracting delegates from agencies including the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, European Commission, and funders such as the Wellcome Trust and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Conferences feature sessions on topics relevant to partnerships with organizations like World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, International Committee of Medical Journal Editors, and publishers including Elsevier and Nature Publishing Group.

Awards and Recognition

The society recognizes contributions to research administration through awards and honors that parallel recognitions from institutions like National Academy of Medicine, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Association of American Universities, and foundations such as the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. Award recipients often come from universities, hospitals, government laboratories, and philanthropic organizations including Johns Hopkins University, University of California system, National Institutes of Health, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

Category:Professional associations Category:Research administration