Blog
August 16, 2024
The Attain Partners team thoroughly enjoyed sponsoring, speaking at, and attending NCURA’s 66th Annual Meeting the first week of August in Washington, D.C. This year’s meeting theme was Rediscover Y-our Journey, and provided an abundance of conversation on topics including recruiting a new generation of professionals, managing change, AI, Uniform Guidance revisions, and so many more.
Our team of experts presented 20 sessions, workshops, and discussion groups and connected with colleagues at our booth where we had the opportunity to share details from our proven track record serving over 70 of the top 100 U.S. research institutions and 100% of Ivy League schools.
“As a seasoned research administrator with over two decades in the profession, I am used to being a veteran. This year, I was the rookie on the Attain Partners team. Meeting team members in person and sharing information on the support we provide was a new and exciting opportunity for me,” Suzanne Alstadt, Senior Consultant at Attain Partners said.
Uniform Guidance revisions go into effect on October 1st
Gil Tran, Senior Specialist Leader and Attain Partners all-star, always draws a crowd with his informative and entertaining sessions. At NCURA’s meeting, he presented The Final Reveal – Extreme Makeover: Uniform Guidance 2 CFR Edition to a packed house (standing room only!). Gil left the attendees with this expert advice, “The effective date for the Uniform Guidance revisions is October 1, 2024, but the time for understanding, planning, and implementing the revisions at your institution is now, right after the conference closes.”
In case you missed it
If you missed his session, Gil’s on-demand webinar discussing the policy updates is available on demand: The Final Reveal – Extreme Makeover: Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200 Edition.
Change Management is essential for all organizations
Whether circumstances are anticipated, such as a new system implementation or a revised UG, or unforeseen like The Great Resignation, change management is an ongoing need in research administration.
Attain Partners Kathleen Halley-Octa, Manager, and Ivonne Kalinski, Senior Consultant, led a session on the topic titled, Overcoming the Fear of the Unknown: Change Management Strategies for Research Administrators. “With the turnover that we have seen in the field in the past few years, institutions are recognizing the importance of investing in change management programs. Whether institutions are tackling initiatives themselves or engaging experts like those at Attain Partners, we’re excited about the number of sessions and conversations we have seen!” Kathleen said after her session.
“As technology rapidly advances, institutions must continually adopt the latest and most effective eRAs. Implementing a new eRA requires more than just system procurement and configuration. A change management program is essential to ensure that end-users are proficient and receptive to the new system, ultimately maximizing the university’s return on investment,” said Ivonne Kalinski, Senior Consultant.
AI technology is being used throughout research administration
The future is now, and AI is a huge part of it. NCURA sessions included conversations involving AI in research portfolio analysis, AI-accelerated research agreements, and utilizing AI to understand uniform guidance.
“As AI technology continues to evolve, research administrators continue to look for ways to incorporate its use in day-to-day operations. NCURA’s Discovery and Innovation Showcase highlighted the way that Emory, the University of Florida, the University of Michigan, and SUNY have utilized AI to improve their business processes and provide additional services to PIs,” said Kathleen.
We’re ushering in the next generation of Research Administrators
A common theme in the stories of research administrators is getting into the profession by accident. On the road to another profession, somehow, many find themselves on a different path. Now, they are paving the way for new research administrators, adding signs to point the way and even serving as the friendly voice of navigation. Kathleen Halley-Octa was part of the winning team of the Discovery & Innovation Showcase for the project Access to Careers in Research Administration Program (ACRA).
“At the end of the day, even with advances in AI, it’s important to think of innovative ways to recruit the next generation of research administrators. With such a large percentage of the field approaching retirement age, effectively recruiting, onboarding, and developing research administrators will continue to be a hot topic in years to come,” said Kathleen.
A Network of Support
NCURA’s Annual Meeting is always like coming home for research administrators. There, we find our old friends and provide one another with support and learning opportunities. New friendships and connections are forged, solidifying the bonds that make our profession a family. Team Attain is honored to be part of this family, and our experienced professionals are here to help.
“What an energizing experience,” said Jeff Derr, Principal Consultant. “Seeing 1,800 plus individuals come together to share knowledge, cheer each other on, and share fellowship was incredible. A big thank you to everyone who stopped by the booth and connected with us on how we can help your team and organization! Conference themes of hiring and management, compliance and research security, and self-assessment are all areas that Attain Partners is here for and can help clients with.”
Attain Partners – Research Administration Experts
Compliance is critical to your organization’s ability to make an impact. Our team provides world-class expertise in navigating the complex and dynamic regulatory environment, implementing industry best practices, and optimizing performance.
Learn more about our services here and explore blog posts from our research administration experts here.
Interested in speaking to one of our experts? Contact us today!
Be the First to Know
Subscribe to our monthly Pulse newsletter
to be the first to hear about new blog posts
