What is the Research Management Program?

The Research Management Program (RMP) is a joint business improvement initiative, run by ICT in partnership with the University’s Research portfolio. The overall objective of the program is to formulate and deliver efficient and effective research management and administration capability for the University.

Program components

An important component of the program is the acquisition and implementation of a new Research Information Management System (RIMS), to provide the infrastructure for a broad program of system-enabled change. InfoEd, a US-based software company specialising in electronic research administration, has been selected as the RIMS software provider.

The Research Management Program needs to deliver more than a new system however to achieve real and lasting improvements. Apart from RIMS, the program comprises three other linked components – processes, culture/behaviour and organisation design – all of which are essential to the delivery of enhanced University-wide research management capability.

Timelines

The program is delivering progressive improvements in research management capability over a three year period from 2008-2010. Given the complexity and organisational span of the initiative, the program implementation is staged over three horizons.

Horizon 1 focused on the initial system setup and improvement of post award grants management processes. Horizon 2 is focussing on managing the HERDC publication collection and meeting the requirements of ARCs research quality framework, such as the Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) initiative and addressing the improvement of ethics administration processes. Horizon 3 concentrates on further ethics and biosafety administration processes and improvements to the pre-award grants management process in step with change to ARCs grant application management system.

Who will be affected by the changes?

The rollouts in 2008 had most impact on staff in the Research Office, who have begun using RIMS to manage existing grants and new grant applications. Business units closely associated with the Research Office have predominantly view only access, with the ability to add or amend data in particular fields.

Academic and administrative staff involved in research management in faculties and affiliated institutions should get immediate benefits from the ability to view grants records and access reports.