New U.S. Government Research Security Training Requirements

Earlier this year, we informed you that annual Research Security Training would be required for Principal Investigators and Senior/Key Personnel on Department of Energy proposals and that this requirement would eventually extend to all U.S. Government funders. Since that time, NIH, NSF and USDA have announced that they will also require this training and we expect that other federal agencies will follow suit.

Therefore, as of October 1, 2025, all Principal Investigators (PIs) and Senior/Key Personnel will be required to complete the Research Security Training module prior to proposal submissions to U.S. Government funders.

JHURA and ORA will not be able to submit these proposals unless the training has been completed within 12 months prior to proposal submission.

Which training is required?

JHU’s Research Security Training is available through the Learning Management System (LMS). This training is based on the training modules developed by NSF, in partnership with NIH, DOE and DOD and will satisfy the agencies’ training requirements.

The course is approximately one hour long. The research security training is designed to ensure that all research funded by the federal government aligns with national security protocols and best practices.

Who is required to take the training?

All Principal Investigators (PIs) and Senior/Key Personnel on a federal proposal must complete Research Security Training prior to submission of the application. JHURA and ORA will not be able to submit the proposal unless the PI and all Senior/Key Personnel have completed the training.

When is the training required?

Research Security Training must be completed within twelve (12) months prior to submission of the proposal. If you have already taken Research Security Training within twelve (12) months prior to submission of the proposal, you do not need to re-take the training.  This is an annual training requirement. The date of training completion will be recorded in the LMS.

If you have not already taken Research Security Training, we encourage you to take the training as soon as possible given the upcoming October 1 requirement.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to your JHURA or ORA Grants Associate.

Thank you for your attention to this important requirement, and for your continued commitment to maintaining the security and integrity of our research activities.