USF Certified Research Administrator Program

Certified Research Administrator Program

usf-centric curriculum for researcher administrators

The University of South Florida offers a certification program for employees who serve as research administrators. The designation, Certified Research Administrator-USF (CRA-USF), identifies the certification with USF and is aligned with recognized academic and professional credentialing.

The CRA-USF stands apart from other research administration certifications in that the curriculum is USF-centric, focusing on the business systems, processes, best practices, tool, resources and forms endorsed and used by the University of South Florida.

Being an effective research administrator requires not only extensive knowledge and understanding, but also many skills and abilities that can only be learned and developed through practice and hands-on application in real-world settings. These courses lay the foundation for participants to further develop their knowledge base and improve job skills and competencies outside the online course environment.

Types of Credentials

Two credentials may be earned by USF employees, CRA-USF/Basic and CRA-
USF/Advanced, by successfully completing the applicable online course. Employees
who earn a credential become members of the Academy of Certified Research
Administrators at USF.

Recertification

Certification standardization is essential to upholding the integrity of the CRA-USF
credentialing program and serves to support the credibility of those who hold the
credential at USF. Recertification helps to ensure members of the Academy of
Certified Research Administrators maintain their credential with a current syllabus.
Sponsored Research recommends recertifying every three years to keep up to date
on changes to the research enterprise at the university. As research guidance
evolves so will the information covered in the courses.

Member Database

Employees who earn a credential become members of the Academy of Certified Research Administrators at USF. Members are included in the Academy’s online database that lists active USF employees who have earned one or more CRA-USF credentials. You may search members by College/Department, Last Name, or Certificate Type. The database also includes certificate dates.

Certificates

USF employees who have earned a CRA-USF credential may download a copy of their signed certificate(s) from the Academy of Certified Research Administrators Member Database. Each credential has its own certificate. Documentation of course completion is also reflected in the employee’s GEMS training record.

Authorized Use of the CRA-USF Credential

All active USF employees who hold a current credential are authorized to use the credential and are expected to properly cite their credential in their signature block.

Along with earning a credential, comes an obligation to uphold the integrity of the CRA-USF designation which supports the credibility of those who hold this honor. Both the credential and the Academy have come to connote competency and integrity resulting from consistent adherence to Federal/State regulations, sponsor guidelines, USF policies, procedures, and standards of acceptable business practices.

Authorization to use the credential is at the discretion of Sponsored Research. Employees who do not recertify within a reasonable time frame, after expiration, may have their credential temporarily revoked until they are recertified.