Required Compliance Training
A PI's responsibilities include the direction of research and scholarship and the education and training of students. These crucial roles must be carried out in compliance with University policy reflecting laws, regulations, and sponsor requirements. This page provides an overview of required training that we provide to all members of the research community. You can register and access the training listed below in the Training section of this website.
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Training Needs Assessment Tools
There are two training needs assessment tools to support you in understanding what training is required for both you and your staff.
Training Needs Assessment Tool
The Training Needs Assessment Tool (TNAT) is designed to assist you in identifying required training. The tool guides you through a series of questions related to your work responsibilities at Stanford. Based on your responses, TNAT will generate a list of required training courses tailored to your role(s).
Safety Training
Safety training is necessary for each job function. The Training Advisor is an online tool for determining what safety training is required for you and your staff.
PIship
PIs Are Responsible for Compliance
PIs are responsible for the intellectual direction of research and scholarship and for educating and training students. In carrying out these critical tasks, PIs are also responsible for compliance with laws and regulations that touch on all aspects of the research enterprise.
Regardless of their field of research and scholarship, all PIs should understand the requirements that flow from law and agency regulations pertaining to environmental health and safety, expenditures of project funds, financial disclosures, conflicts of interest, invention disclosures, and reporting of scientific misconduct.
Requirements Related to Research Methods
Depending on the type of research, there may also be important requirements related to research methods, e.g., use of chemicals and other hazardous materials, human subjects, lab animals, radiological hazards, and biosafety. To protect the individual as well as the University, Stanford requires each of its PIs to complete a brief review of these topics. PIs can do this by attending a 90-minute classroom briefing or by reviewing the material online.
Stanford University will not release project funding for a PI who has not satisfied this requirement.
Human Subjects
All individuals working on a human subjects research project are required to complete human subjects training. The requirement extends to all investigators and other study personnel, including all persons who are responsible for designing and/or conducting research, performing data analysis or reporting activities. We recommend you complete the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) training before submitting your Institutional Review Board (IRB) protocol for approval.
Third party (subcontract) research personnel or consultants must comply with this training requirement as well. They may satisfy this requirement at their home institutions, provided that the IRB is assured of completion of the necessary training. A letter, certificate, or email notification by a representative from the home institution will satisfy this requirement.
HIPAA and Protected Health Information
All individuals who come in contact with Protected Health Information (PHI) are required to complete Stanford HIPAA Training.
Certain special training modules are required for individuals whose jobs require them to be in closer contact with PHI. Each department will determine the appropriate training modules to be taken by its workforce. Additional training on local procedures should be provided by each department.
The HIPAA Training Level Guide & Course List is available on the HIPAA website.
Animal Care and Use
Faculty, staff, and students who will be involved in the use of laboratory animals are expected to complete the Animal Care and Use Training Program, which provides an introduction to the topic. Specialized training required for research with specific animals is also available through the Veterinary Service Center.
View policy RPH: Animal Care and Use Training and Education Program
Environmental Health and Saftey
Everyone in the Stanford community is required to take some environmental health and safety training.
- Tier I: general training regarding health and safety policies and procedures at Stanford.
- Tier II: specific training topics pertaining to a work area's activities.
- Tier III: Supervisors, Managers, and Principal Investigators must provide Tier III health and safety training on hazards specific to the job site, equipment used, experimental procedures, etc. EH&S can assist you in developing local Tier III training. Call 650-725-3209.
Use the Training Advisor questionnaire to identify the environmental health and safety training required for your job duties. Keep in mind that there may be additional, local (Tier III) training required for your job duties.
The Responsible Conduct of Research for Graduate, Postdoctoral Scholars and Early Career Scholars
The education of Stanford students at all levels includes appropriate training and oversight in the responsible and ethical conduct of research. Stanford University expects that every academic program and each research advisor/mentor will do their part to assure that students/trainees receive appropriate guidance in such areas as research integrity, data acquisition and management, authorship, research collaborations, conflicts of interest, and others as appropriate.
In addition, two of the largest US sponsors of research have established regulatory requirements in this regard:
- The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has long required Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) education for anyone funded on their training grants.
- The National Science Foundation (NSF) has established an RCR training requirement for students at any level funded by that agency.
NIH Requirement
The NIH requires that all trainees, fellows, participants, and scholars receiving support through any NIH training, career development award (individual or institutional), research education grant, and dissertation research grant must receive RCR instruction.
These mechanisms include:
D43, D71, F05, F30, F31, F32, F33, F34, F37, F38, K01, K02, K05, K07, K08, K12, K18, K22, K23, K24, K25, K26, K30, K99/R00, KL1, KL2, R25, R36, T15, T32, T34, T35, T36, T37, T90/R90, TL1, TU2, and U2R.
This requirement also applies to any other NIH-funded programs supporting research training, career development, or research education that require RCR instruction as stated in the relevant FOA.
Completion of the following (1) course satisfies the NIH requirement for training in the responsible conduct of research:
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MED 255: Responsible Conduct of Research - This one-quarter Stanford course is offered through the Stanford Center for Biomedical Ethics.
NSF Requirement
The National Science Foundation requires that, at the time of proposal submission, the institution has a plan to provide appropriate RCR training and oversight to all students (undergraduates, graduate, and postdoctoral scholars) who will be supported by NSF to conduct research. Students who are funded by the National Science Foundation, e.g., students with NSF fellowships, or paid as an RA on an NSF research project, are required to complete the appropriate RCR module within the first quarter of their funding.
Completion of one of the courses listed below satisfies the NSF requirement for training in the responsible conduct of research.
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MED 255: Responsible Conduct of Research : This one-quarter Stanford course is offered through the Stanford Center for Biomedical Ethics.
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Engineering 204: Research Ethics for Engineers and Scientists : This one-quarter Stanford course is offered through the Stanford School of Engineering.
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CITI Modules on Responsible Conduct of Research : These web-based modules have been developed by the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI). The following disciplinary tracks are available:
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Humanities
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Social and Behavioral Science
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Natural Science
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Bioscience Engineering
Go To: Responsible Conduct Training Requirements and RCR Training FAQs
Conflicts of Interest
All newly-hired faculty are required to complete a training module on identifying and reporting conflicts of interest.
This self-paced web/video module provides an overview of high-risk situations that can lead to conflicts of interest for faculty.
All PIs who receive PHS funding must complete the Conflicts of Interest online class before Stanford can accept a PHS award on your behalf. Your certification is valid for four years. You must retake this class when your certification expires.
Research Administration
Administrative staff who prepare proposals, originate or approve transactions on sponsored accounts, and review or monitor expenditures on sponsored projects are required to certify that they have completed two classes related to research administration. Content for these required classes (Understanding Cost Policy and Overview of Research and the Regulatory Environment), plus 15 elective classes, is available online for certification in two levels, or as a desktop reference.
