International Research Ethics Education and Curriculum Development Award (R25) | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is the International Research Ethics Education and Curriculum Development Award (R25)?

It is an NIH research education grant opportunity that supports ethics education and curriculum development focused on human subjects research in low-resource, international settings. The goal is to strengthen ethics capacity in developing countries by supporting high-quality, masters-level training and related curriculum development.

2) Which NIH organization issues this funding opportunity?

The award is issued by the Fogarty International Center (FIC) and is supported in collaboration with several other NIH institutes and centers.

3) What is the main purpose of this program?

The program is designed to build sustainable, high-quality research ethics education capacity where resources, health systems, or regulatory infrastructure may be limited. It aims to prepare professionals to handle real-world ethical challenges in research involving people and to help create local leaders and trainers who can maintain ethics education over time.

4) What kind of activities does the R25 mechanism support here?

This opportunity uses the NIH Research Education (R25) mechanism, which supports education and training activities rather than traditional hypothesis-driven research projects. Applications are expected to propose structured education programs, curriculum development, and practical educational experiences related to research ethics for human subjects research.

5) Is this grant intended to fund traditional research studies?

No. The R25 mechanism is intended for research education and training activities. The focus is on building and delivering education programs and curricula, not on conducting hypothesis-driven research projects.

6) What level of training is emphasized in this opportunity?

The emphasis is on masters-level training and curriculum development. This signals a preference for comprehensive, formalized programs rather than short workshops alone.

7) Who are the intended trainees?

The intended trainees include developing-country academics, researchers, and health professionals who are positioned to influence research practice, oversight, and training at their home institutions and within their regions.

8) What ethics topics are typically included under the scope of this program?

The ethics focus is tied to research involving human participants. Examples of topics mentioned include informed consent in diverse cultural and linguistic contexts; protection of vulnerable populations; balancing risks and benefits; community engagement; privacy and confidentiality; equitable recruitment; research in emergency or epidemic contexts; and ethical review processes such as strengthening institutional review boards (IRBs) or research ethics committees.

9) What does NIH mean by combining curriculum development with practical educational experiences?

The opportunity invites institutions and organizations to propose structured education programs that include both the creation/refinement of curriculum and practical training experiences that support real-world application of research ethics in human subjects research settings.

10) Can the supported program be transferred to another institution?

Generally, research education programs supported under this mechanism are not transferable from one institution to another unless there is a strong justification. This reflects NIH's interest in program stability and institutional commitment.

11) Are U.S. institutions eligible to apply?

Yes. Eligibility is broad and includes U.S. institutions.

12) Are non-U.S. (foreign) institutions eligible to apply?

Yes. The eligibility list explicitly includes foreign organizations (non-U.S. entities), consistent with the international training mission of the program.

13) What types of U.S. institutions are explicitly included in the eligibility list?

The eligibility list explicitly includes private and public institutions of higher education (including state-controlled institutions), and it also explicitly includes Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), and Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions.

14) Does the opportunity allow partnerships between U.S. institutions and institutions in developing countries?

Yes. The description indicates that the breadth of eligibility supports the program's international training mission and allows partnerships between U.S. institutions and institutions in developing countries, or applications led directly by non-U.S. organizations.

15) Is there a fixed budget cap or a standard award size for this opportunity?

The scope and budget are described as intentionally flexible. NIH indicates that the size and duration of awards may vary depending on what is proposed.

16) How does NIH decide how many awards will be made and the total dollars awarded?

The total number of awards and the total dollars ultimately awarded depend on the number of applications received and on their quality, duration, and costs.

17) Why does the announcement emphasize flexibility in award size and duration?

The summary signals that different models of ethics education and curriculum development may be appropriate depending on regional needs and institutional capacity, so NIH does not present a single standard model in the summary.

18) What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this announcement?

The Funding Opportunity Number is PAR-10-174.

19) When was this opportunity posted, and what were the closing and archive dates?

It was posted on April 21, 2010. The closing date was May 10, 2012, and it was archived on June 10, 2012.

20) How is this opportunity categorized?

It is categorized as a discretionary grant in the education/health area.

21) Is the opportunity associated with specific CFDA numbers?

Yes. It is associated with multiple NIH CFDA numbers reflecting the participating NIH components.

22) Where can applicants find the complete requirements and official details?

NIH points readers to the complete funding announcement on the NIH Grants Guide website.

23) Who should be contacted for technical access issues related to the announcement?

For technical access issues, NIH provides help contacts through the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster.

24) What is the overall intended impact of the program in developing countries?

The intended impact is to create deep, formal ethics education capacity that produces local leaders and trainers who can influence research practice and oversight and sustain ethics training and curriculum development over time in low-resource settings.