The Globalization of Research: Research Administration in the 21 st Century

1. The Globalization of Research: Research Administration in the 21st Century Susan Wyatt Sedwick, PhD, CRA Associate Vice President for Research Director, Office of Sponsored Projects The University of Texas at Austin Chair, Federal Demonstration Partnership

2. Higher Ed Funding • Public perception of research/Congressional Concerns • Sequestration • STEM education and the rise of MOOCs • Regulatory environment – Federal, state, institutional • Cost containment ($10K degree) • International collaboration/global competitiveness

3. Declining State Support

6. Issues within Science • Scientific misconduct • Moral and religious values • Suppression of dissenting viewpoints • Animal welfare • Conflicts of interest • Intellectual property issues • Retractions in scientific publications • Mistrust of science

7. Global Issues • Environmental sustainability and renewable energy • International security issues • Accessibility to quality health care • National disasters • Educational reform

8. Challenges • American institutions’ preeminence is at risk as emerging countries are building their own national higher education and research enterprises • Talent, especially young talent, will follow the opportunities.

9. Foreign Initiatives • National Research Foundation of Korea • Taiwan’s Aim for the Top University Project • China’s 1000 Talents Program • HKUST curriculum overhaul and aggressive western recruitment • Emergence of research universities in the Middle East

12. Good science anywhere is good for science everywhere. Subra Suresh, Former Director National Science Foundation

13. Glocalization Tailoring products and services to conform with local laws, customs or consumer preferences.

14. Trust Researchers Declaration of 2010 • Bottoms-up initiative collected 13000+ signatures from researchers in ~45 countries • Mutual trust and responsible partnering • Appropriate levels of accountability • Effective, reliable and stable funding principles • Tolerable risks are vital for innovation

15. Key Regulatory Hallmarks • 1940s NIH expanded • 1950s Sputnik increased funding for basic science and NSF established • 1960s Sponsor-centric regulatory environment • 1970s Establishment of the Circulars • 1980s Bayh-Dole Act and GASB addressed state and local government reporting issues • 1990s Emergence of technology, conflict of interest and the cap on administrative costs imposed • 2000s Era of contradictions: openness (public access and transparency), protections (stem cells, trafficking of persons) and restrictions (national security, deemed exports, Patriot Act, eVerify) • 2010s Focus on regulatory reform, responsible conduct of and objectivity in research, uniformity in reporting, and federal profile

16. Administrative Requirements Expanded/Added since 1991 • COGR List • Over 50 new regulations; • 12 interpretation/implementation changes; and • 12 proposed rules/changes www.cogr.edu/docs/COGRAAUTroublesomeClausesReport.pdf

17. Faculty Workload on Federally-funded Projects

18. Faculty Workload on Federally-funded Projects

21. How can we help?

22. Metrics • Grounded in theoretical framework • Include scientific, social and economic outcomes • Be generalizable and replicable • Be developed from the bottom up • Minimize burden

23. STAR METRICS • Science and Technology for America’s Reinvestment: Measuring the Effect of Research on Innovation, Competitiveness and Science • https://www.starmetrics.nih.gov/Star/News

24. Global Metrics Initiatives • Lattes (Brazil) • Research Council of Norway • Science, Technology & Innovation: The Culture of Numbers (Canada) • Research Information Network (UK) • Prime Network of Excellence (EU) • Vinnova: Research and Innovation for Sustainable Growth (Sweden) • NESTA (UK)

25. The Message is consistent…..

26. Rising Above the Gathering Storm • Increase America’s talent pool by vastly improving K-12 STEM education • Sustain and strengthen the nation’s traditional commitment to long-term basic research that has the potential to be transformational to maintain the flow of ideas that fuel the economy, provide security and enhance the quality of life • Make the US the most attractive setting in which to study and perform research • Ensure the US is the premier place in the world to innovate, invest and create high paying jobs

27. Ten Breakthrough Actions • Stable and effective policies, practices and funding • Greater autonomy for public research universities • Strengthen the role of the business sector • Increase cost effectiveness and productivity • Create a “Strategic Investment” program • Sponsor should cover the full cost of research • Reduce or eliminate unnecessary regulations • Improve the capacity of graduate programs • Universities should take a strong role in K12 and STEM • Enhance international students and scholars mobility

28. Future Health and Well Being • Limited funding, hyper-competition, need for greater cooperation between sponsors and universities • Excessive regulation and reporting • Lack of standard measures of performance, limited reward for efficiency and effectiveness. • Lack of reliable data to inform strategic decisions and resource allocations • Failure to demonstrate and promote the value of research • Fragility of research administration and leadership

29. Role of the Research Administrator

30. History of Research Administration • 1958 – National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA) founded • 1967 – Society of Research Administrators International (SRA) founded • 1979 – Council on Governmental Relations (COGR ) incorporated • 1986 – Federal Demonstration Partnership (FDP) began as the Florida Demonstration Project • 1993 – First Certified Research Administrator exam conducted

32. Some thoughts on Professions • Regulated by statute or code • Body of knowledge • Examination • Licensure/Certification overseen by a professional entity • Requirement for continuing education • Code of ethics/conduct • Service orientation

33. How did you learn to be a research administrator?

35. Current Landscape for our Profession • Efficiencied to death • Transparency and Accountability: Can we do both? • Financial constraints • Succession planning • Career ladders • Recruitment, development and retention of research administration professionals

37. Stress Perception Study¹ • Perceived level of stress – 41.3% reported as high and 16.2% reported as extremely high • 66% reported having inadequate resources to complete their job in a 40 hour week • 70% reported competing demands between work and home • Almost 50% reported exercising 20 minutes or more on less than 3 days per week ¹Shambrook, J. & Brawman-Mintzer, O. (2007). Results from the 2007 Research Administrator Stress Perception Survey (RASPerS). Research Management Review. NCURA. Vol. 15. No. 2, pp. 41-52.

38. 2010 Update of RASPerS² • 90% report their jobs have become more demanding over the past few years (extremely high stress ratings increased from 16 to 23 percent) • 40 hour work week is still elusive • Percentage who were struggling to balance home and work life increased from 45% to 57% • Percentage who worked while sick increased from 39% to 65% • ²Shambrook, J. & Sharma, B. (2011). Comparison of the 2007 and 2010 Research Administrator Stress Perception Survey. SRA Annual Meeting. Montreal, CA.

39. Some good news….. • Respondents reporting positive feelings of appreciation and respect in the workplace increased (highly appreciated increased from 3 to 14 percent)² • Key motivators for remaining in the profession¹ • Challenge • Variety of tasks • Working with intelligent colleagues • Job security • Feeling a sense of purpose

40. The basic task of leadership is to increase the standard of living and the quality of life for all stakeholders. Stephen R. Covey The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

41. Mentoring and Professional Development • Empower staff to think for themselves • Don’t always solve the problem; foster creative problem solving by asking, “What do you think you should do?” • Finding the delicate balance between building confidence/competence and knowing when to seek guidance can be tricky

42. NCURA Offerings • Fundamentals of Research Administration • Sponsored Projects Administration II • Departmental Research Administration • Specialized workshops • Annual and Regional Meeting • NCURA TV/Webinars/ Podcosts • Publications • NCURA YouTube Tuesdays

43. Principles for Consideration of Research Universities in a Global Environment

44. To serve effectively as the centers for basic research, institutions must be strong and healthy.¹

45. There must be stability of funds over a period of years so that long-range programs may be undertaken.¹

46. To secure a high level of employment, to maintain a position of world leadership – the flow of new scientific knowledge must be continuous and substantial.¹

47. We must remove the rigid controls which we have had to impose, and recover freedom of inquiry and healthy competitive scientific spirit.¹

48. Leave the internal control of policy, personnel, and the method and scope of the research to the institutions themselves. This is of the utmost importance.¹

49. ¹Source?

50. Vannevar Bush Science - The Endless Frontier July 1945