Strenghthening adminsitrative reserach capacities towards a better scientific competitiveness - Program Director/Principal Investigator (Last, First, Middle): Mhenni Hayet
Project Summary
Institut Pasteur de Tunis (IPT) is one of the oldest and productive Tunisian research institutions.
When non-governmental and foreign research funding does not exceed 10% in Tunisian research
structures, this amount reaches almost 60% at IPT. However and despite this, IPT has scarcely
obtained NIAID/NIH competitive findings. This is mainly due to the fact that IPT researchers have to
struggle to search for opportunities and offers and to ensure submission of their projects. Indeed,
grant administrators at IPT, although trying to help by knowledge gathered by their own or in the
frame of short workshops, did not receive suitable trainings in NIH grants policies and financial
management.
Hence, the administrative burden usually falls onto the PIs’ shoulders, who instead of focusing on the
scientific achievement of their projects goals, are struggling to comply with NIH scientific reporting
requirements they are not trained for.
This situation hinders the scientific contribution, enhances pitfalls and delays deliverables, making
the success of projects very difficult and grants renewal almost unreachable.
To overcome all these constraints, IPT is applying for this grant to ultimately build a dedicated office
for research administration and grant management. This will be done through an appropriate long
term training of two senior administrators working at IPT, who have been involved in the
management of different research grants and who have some expertise with NIH rules and policies.
The personnel of the office of Sponsored Projects, at University of Rhode Island, will monitor these
training. Such training will be followed by attending a one-week workshop organized by the Grants
Management Program (GMP) at NIAID and will allow the two trainees to fine-tune their expertise on
the management of NIAID awards according to the specific needs of IPT.
These two trainees will then organize in Tunisia workshops and training sessions for administrative
personnel directly or indirectly involved in pre- and post award grant management. These local
training will also benefit to the personnel of other research institutions in Tunisia and in the region.
Finally, this grant will allow also setting up, with the help of the Virtual University, Tunis, a web based
course (MOOC) on administrative management.
Ultimately, this proposal will allow the IPT to constitute an office for research administration and
grant management leaded by the two senior administrators trainees, ensure sustainability of
knowledge and expertise and hence enhance its capabilities to obtain competitive funds and manage
successfully its research projects.
OMB No. 0925-0001/0002 (Rev. 03/16 Approved Through 10/31/2018) 1
