Research Security Training
Research security training is being mandated for individuals involved in federally funded research by U.S. federal regulations such as the and (NSPM-33). These policies are designed to safeguard the integrity of the U.S. research enterprise against foreign government interference and exploitation.
As a result, Skidmore is obligated to certify that it has a Research Security program, and a key component of this program is mandatory research security training for all principal investigators, co-investigators and individuals designated as key personnel on a grant application (i.e., "covered individuals").
Below are the most current specific agency requirements:
| FEDERAL AGENCIES | EFFECTIVE DATE | DETAILS |
| Department of Defense | TBD | No DOD-wide timeline has been issued regarding completion of the training for DOD-sponsored project. However, researchers should carefully read through proposal guidelines to identify training requirements until such time that DOD implements agency-wide requirements. |
| Department of Energy | May 1, 2025 | Must be completed within the 12 months immediately preceding the application submission date. |
| National Aeronautics and Space Administration | TBD | Carefully read through the proposal guidelines until official guidance has been released from this agency as per NSPM-33 mandatory training requirements. |
| National Science Foundation | October 10, 2025 | Senior/key personnel listed on the application for a research and development award will be required to take the training starting October 10, 2025. |
| National Institutes of Health | October 2025 | The NIH has partnered with NSF, DOE and the DOD to develop the online research security training modules. The NIH requirements are expected to align with the NSF regarding requirements. |
| US Department of Agriculture | Anticipated October 2025 | Training must be completed not more than one year prior to the date of application and must recertify annually for the duration of the award. |
Who must take the training?
Principal investigators, co-investigators and individuals designated as key personnel on a grant application must take the training. These "covered individuals" contribute in a substantive, meaningful way to the scientific development or execution of an R&D project proposed to be carried out with an award from a federal agency.
Additional personnel may be required to complete the training in the future.
When must training be completed?
Principal investigators, co-investigators and individuals designated as key personnel on a grant application must complete research security training within the 12 months preceding the date a grant application is submitted.
To avoid delays in your grant submissions, please ensure that you and all covered individuals on your federal grant applications have completed research security training prior to proposal submission. Failure to complete the necessary training will result in a hold of the grant submission until training can be verified.
Where can the training be completed?
Research compliance training has been developed that complies with federal guidance and is available on the . The training will take approximately one hour to complete.
Instructions for taking Research Security training in CITI:
1. Go to the .
2. Log in or register from the CITI homepage.
- If you do not have a CITI account, you will need to register via the “select your organization affiliation.”
- If you do have a CITI account, you will “log in through my organization.”
3. Under “My Courses” scroll down to Skidmore College and select "View Courses."
4. Under “Learner Tools for Skidmore College" at the bottom of the page, click “Add a Course.” This takes you to the curriculum page.
5. Select “Research Security Training (Combined Course)” under Question 12. Click submit. Be sure to select "Research Security Training (Combined Course)," as this is the condensed
one-hour course.
- Upon entering the course, a “grade book” will be displayed that tracks progress of module completion.
- Before beginning the course modules, you will be prompted to complete the required “Integrity Assurance Statement.” This statement certifies that you are the person taking the course and that you are not taking the course for someone else.