TAKE THE COURSE:
CITI Log-In Using UVA NetBadge - Recommended for users who have existing CITI accounts affiliated with UVA.
Once logged in you will need to enroll in the Undue Foreign Influence: Risks and Mitigations course by taking the following steps:
- Selecting "Add a Course" from the Learner Tools for University of Virginia box at the bottom of the page.
- The "Select Curriculum" page should now be open. In order to complete your enrollment you are required to answer "yes" to Questions #5 (Conflicts of Interest) and #13 (Foreign Influence); the other questions are optional.
- You should be returned to your main learner page where you will see the Undue Foreign Influence: Risks and Mitigations course listed in the "Courses Ready to Begin" section. Depending on your completion status, the Conflicts of Interest course will show up in one of the following sections: Active Courses, Courses Ready to Begin, or Completed Courses.
- Click the "Start Now" button in the box for the Undue Foreign Influence: Risks and Mitigations course to take the training.
- You do not need to complete the entire course in a single sitting but you will not receive a completion certificate until all 4 required modules have been completed.
If you don't have a CITI account or have a CITI account affiliated with another institution (or as an independent learner), you will need to affiliate with UVA prior to enrolling in the course. The CITI VPR Training Instructions will walk you through the appropriate process.
The Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) has determined that by December 1, 2021, all UVA "investigators," as defined in RES-005, Financial Conflicts of Interest for Research Investigators, must complete the Undue Foreign Influence: Risks and Mitigations course (see below for more information) and submit an External Activities Disclosure (see link for access to the EAD tool and related information). These new requirements supplement and do not replace other institutional and sponsor requirements.
New "investigators" are strongly encouraged to complete the course before submitting a proposal; however, all investigators named on an award must have completed the required course before an award will be processed by the Office of Sponsored Programs.
These requirement are issued pursuant to University policy RES-011, Investigator Eligibility Requirements and Responsibilities Related to Sponsored Programs. Compliance will be assessed for new proposals submitted and awards received on or after January 1, 2022.
We have decided that the added burden of additional required training is warranted due to the emergence of common themes in sponsor disclosure requirements and the recent increase in criminal charges filed against academics for failing to disclose external appointments, affiliations, and sources of research support.
Although non-federal sponsors may not require the same disclosures, our commitment to the research integrity/ethical principles and values (i.e., openness and transparency; accountability and honesty; impartiality and objectivity; respect; freedom of inquiry; reciprocity; and merit-based competition) that are the foundation for trust in the research enterprise does not change depending on the source of funding or area of study. Therefore, we are requiring all investigators, whether or not federally funded, to complete both the training and disclosure.
The Undue Foreign Influence: Risks and Mitigations course is delivered by the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI), the same provider we use for the triennial COI training and other programs. We have customized the standard course to make 2 of the 4 standard modules optional and add brief UVA-specific modules highlighting requirements and resources. The following is the structure of the UVA version of the Undue Foreign Influence: Risks and Mitigations course (links are to the UVA specific content so they are available for easy reference).
- Introduction to Undue Foreign Influence Impacts and Concerns in Academia - OPTIONAL - Review some of the history of the US government's foreign influence concerns.
- Reporting, Research Integrity, and Effective Practices to Manage Undue Foreign Influence Risk - REQUIRED
- UVA Faculty Guide to Managing Foreign Influence - REQUIRED
- Cybersecurity and Compliance Considerations for Safeguarding Research - REQUIRED
- UVA Research Cybersecurity Baseline - REQUIRED
- Nondiscrimination Considerations When Managing Undue Foreign Influence - OPTIONAL - Recommended for hiring officials, human resources staff, and supervisors.
We estimate that it will take you 60-90 minutes to complete all of the required modules; the optional modules will take 20-25 minutes each.
At this time, the is a one-time training requirement. However, additional or refresher training may be required in the future to adapt to changing federal requirements, institutional priorities and systems.