Eight institutions are better than one – planning a truly effective RCR training strategy

On 1 October representatives from eight universities from Michigan, Indiana and Canada gathered for a one-day implementation workshop at the Kellogg Center, Michigan State University.

The workshop focused on how to best implement Epigeum's new Research Integrity online program. Released in July 2012, the program is a transformative training package on Responsible Conduct in Research (RCR). It was developed by Epigeum in collaboration with twenty three universities, including world-class research institutions such as the University of Michigan, the University of Oxford (UK), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (Saudi Arabia) and the European Molecular Biology Organization (Germany).

Research integrity expert and course author Professor Nick Steneck (University of Michigan) chaired a day-long planning session on how US and Canadian institutions can implement the program to maximize its impact on learners. He also discussed how institutions can use analytics to assess changes in participants' understanding and behavior.

The universities attending presented a variety of implementation strategies, from making the program a mandatory requirement of participants' studies through to optional for departments. Attendees also discussed the advantages of customising content and assessment in the Research Integrity programme, enabling each institution to incorporate, and test participants' understanding of, its own particular misconduct policies. Individual departments can also customise the programme with discipline-specific information and examples.

David Babington-Smith, CEO of Epigeum, comments: "with the exponential increase in cases of misconduct, and the significant financial and legal risks that accrue, senior university administrators need an assurance that RCR training is more than an exercise in tick-box compliance. They need training programs that researchers will respond positively to, and which will genuinely transform understanding and behavior. This is what Epigeum's unique pedagogy is all about".

Participating universities in the workshop included:

  • University of Manitoba
  • Michigan State University
  • University of Michigan
  • Michigan Technological University
  • Western Michigan University
  • Central Michigan University
  • Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
  • Wayne State University

For further information on how Epigeum's Research Integrity could address RCR needs in your institution, contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .