INORMS Congress Madrid 2025

A one-stop shop for Horizon Europe applicants

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Format: Fifteen-Minute Discussion Tables

Category: Good Practice

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

Researchers looking for funding under Horizon Europe programmes are often daunted by the efforts required to apply and participate. Best practices from KU Leuven can help less experienced RMA improve their internal workflow regarding research support.

Changing roles: RMs as grant holders

Driving organisational change and RMs' professional growth through own grants

Format: Fifteen-Minute Discussion Tables

Category: New Initiative

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

RMs' role is often seen as supportive. At BRIC, RMs have since 2018 applied in own name for certain grant types, supported by researchers, securing more than 12 M EUR. The aim is to drive organisational change, but the changed roles also allow for professional growth and improved recognition of RMs.

Components of Sustainable Communities of Practice

Key Components of Sustainable and Successful Communities of Practice in Research Management: Participation, Facilitation, Collaboration

Format: Fifteen-Minute Discussion Tables

Category: Good Practice

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

Communities of Practice (CoPs) have the potential to be extremely valuable, offering a space for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and professional development. The discussion will include the key components of successful and sustainable CoPs, and broader engagement opportunities for participants.

Digital and scalable expert services

Digital and scalable expert services in proposal preparation

Format: Fifteen-Minute Discussion Tables

Category: Good Practice

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

One option for Grants Offices to tackle the increasing need for proposal preparation support with the existing limited resources, is to harness digital tools in a smart way and to offer scalable & digital services for applicants and online training modules for upskilling of researchers.

Next2Mentor: Empowering new talented RMAs

RMA Mentorship Programmes: how to nurture and empower the next generation of research managers?

Format: Fifteen-Minute Discussion Tables

Category: Good Practice

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

In today’s rapidly evolving R&I landscape effective mentorship plays a crucial role in nurturing and empowering the next generation of RMAs. This session invites RMA professionals from around the world to explore mechanisms for creating impactful mentoring relationships and to share best practice

Pre-award support, one single service approach?

A brainstorming on different approaches to managing the pre-award phase, toward a sustainable project submission process.

Format: Fifteen-Minute Discussion Tables

Category: Good Practice

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

The table moves from the experience of the moderators and aims to brainstorm different approaches and the RM’s skills needed to manage the pre-award phase. The discussion will be moderated according to two items: Services&Procedures and Competences&Skills. Some tips will be shared with participants.

RMA Practices in public and private sectors

Lessons from the Public and Private Sectors for Research Management Practices

Format: Fifteen-Minute Discussion Tables

Category: Good Practice

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

This roundtable session will delve into the critical differences and intersections in research management between the public and private sectors, with a focus on fostering sustainable research and innovation practices.

Research management performance indicators

How should relevant KPIs for RMA services be determined?

Format: Fifteen-Minute Discussion Tables

Category: Good Practice

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

Key performance indicators (KPIs) are essential for monitoring and improving services. They are commonly used in project management and are studied in the research and innovation field. The purpose of this round table is to discuss strategies for determining meaningful KPI for RMA services.

Best Practices in Research Management

Best Practices in Research Management

Format: Oral 30 Minutes

Category: Other

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

BESTPRAC started in 2014 as a COST Targeted Network that gathers administrative, financial and legal staff at universities and research-driven institutions who carry out different tasks to support transnational external competition based in (particular EU funded) research projects. Even though the COST funding subsided in October 2019, BESTPRAC is still active and finding alternative ways of sustaining the fantastic network of research support staff that was created.

The network serves as a platform for exchanging experiences, sharing and developing best practices, encouraging knowledge sharing, knowledge transfer and increasing efficiency in these fields. That is why active participation of its members is expected and greatly valued in the BESTPRAC community. The BESTPRAC network is open to all research support staff working at RPOs and you are free to join.

Enhancing Policy Impact and Excellence in EU-Funded Research: The Role of Research Managers

Format: Oral 30 Minutes

Category: Case Study

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

In this session, we explore how research managers are becoming the linchpins of excellence, security, and trust in EU-funded research. Moderated by Sarah Richardson, this one-hour panel gathers top minds from key projects like CATALISI, IP4OS, and iRECS to dive into the powerful interplay between science and policy. Join us as we uncover how innovative initiatives and strategic collaborations are shaping a smarter, more sustainable European Research Area.

Innovative Trainings & Platforms for Research Excellence

Unlocking Transferable Skills & Advancing Research Ethics within Emerging Technologies

Format: Oral 30 Minutes

Category: Good Practice

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

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RM ROADMAP

RM ROADMAP: A Community-driven Vision for the Future of Research Management

Format: Oral 30 Minutes

Category: Good Practice

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

As RM ROADMAP nears its finish line, this session will spotlight the project’s trailblazing achievements and the challenges overcome along the way. It will showcase how a community-driven approach, engaging research managers, institutions, and policymakers, has co-created consensus documents, a groundbreaking survey, and a dynamic Knowledge and Community Platform. The interactive discussion with RM ROADMAP Ambassadors promises insightful reflections on how these initiatives are shaping the future of research management across Europe—proving that great minds (and a touch of clever teamwork) really do make the dream work.

Shaping the Future of Research Management: Introducing the RM FRAMEWORK Project

Shaping the Future of Research Management: Introducing the RM FRAMEWORK Project

Format: Oral 30 Minutes

Category: Other

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

As the European research ecosystem evolves, research managers are becoming key strategic players. RM FRAMEWORK, a new EU-funded initiative, aims to build a sustainable training framework for these professionals. In this session, project leaders will share the vision and early plans, including developing a training handbook, establishing a quality label, and fostering robust networks across institutions. Attendees will have the chance to engage in dialogue about expectations and challenges in advancing research management across Europe.

A formula for team success

A formula for team success: investing time + empowering staff = sustained performance

Format: Oral 30/20 Minutes Presentation

Category: Good Practice

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

Join us to explore the importance of developing and maintaining an inclusive, collegial workplace culture in which your team can thrive, and provide great service. Hear about ways to establish and maintain a positive work environment that aligns to operational and strategic institutional needs.

Beyond the Dollar/Euro

Planning for and Staffing an Efficient and Humane Research Management Office

Format: Oral 30/20 Minutes Presentation

Category: Good Practice

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

In this session, three US-based RMA office leaders will share their experience, observations and actionable recommendations for sustainably staffing an RMA office, aligning individual worker dynamics, expertise and preferences to create a balanced RMA ecosphere.

Creating an Online Research Lifecycle Resource

Guide to creating a sustainable resource to help researchers and RMAs to navigate the research lifecycle, from project idea through to exploitation of results, and access related supports.

Format: Oral 30/20 Minutes Presentation

Category: Good Practice

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

We will guide you through the process of how we successfully created an award-winning online sustainable resource to help researchers and RMAs to navigate the full research lifecycle, from project idea through to exploitation of results and provide advice on how you can develop your own resource.

European University Initiative and RMAs

The role of RMAs in shaping European University Initiative

Format: Oral 30/20 Minutes Presentation

Category: New Initiative

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

European University Initiative (EUI) is re-shaping the university sector in the EU, which intrinsically has an R&I dimension. The EUI TG of EARMA provides a space for RMAs to build networks, share knowledge, develop expertise to facilitate integration of R&I in and among the European Universities.

Holistic approach to research support in Faculties

Research Specialist – a holistic approach to research support in Faculties: strategic and practical support for management and researchers

Format: Oral 30/20 Minutes Presentation

Category: Good Practice

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

In this presentation we elaborate our role of Research Specialists, RMA professionals who work in the interface of researchers, Faculty management and other service functions. Our case demonstrates a need for a more holistic approach to research support and development in the faculties.

Hybrid model for research management

Paving the way towards the introduction of research managers in Hasselt University

Format: Oral 30/20 Minutes Presentation

Category: New Initiative

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

At UHasselt, we’ve introduced a hybrid model to support researchers, combining centralized programme management with decentralized, faculty-specific guidance.

Leading through Change

Leading through Change

Format: Oral 30/20 Minutes Presentation

Category: Good Practice

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

When starting, restarting, or restructuring a research management office, change is inevitable. This session will provide thoughts, reflections, and strategies for leading through change from speakers who have started and/or restructured a research management office in the US and UK.

Maintaining Your Research Edge

Collaborating to build a sustainable research technology ecosystem

Format: Oral 30/20 Minutes Presentation

Category: Good Practice

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

Learn how a research-intensive university creates and participates in cross-institutional and cross-departmental collaborations to address the changing demands for research technology and strategies to attain funding for technologies to support university research.

Managing Innovation in Innovation Management

A Case Study in Optimising Research Support Offices in the Digital and GenAI Era

Format: Oral 30/20 Minutes Presentation

Category: Good Practice

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

There are many tools to support RMA work, but how can we decide when to overhaul our workflows, automate processes, or use genAI? At DTI we’ve developed systems for these decisions, so join us for an exchange about how RMAs can evaluate and implement process innovations to make the most of our time.

Mastering Leadership: The Human Side

Mastering Leadership in Research Management: Unlocking the Power of Soft Skills, Communication, and People-Centered Success

Format: Oral 30/20 Minutes Presentation

Category: Good Practice

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

As research expands across disciplines and borders, managers must navigate complex regulations while mastering the toughest challenge: the human side of leadership. Soft skills like communication, empathy, and team-building are vital. This session offers strategies to help you succeed as a leader.

MyResearch - Service for research compliance

Building better RMA through digital transformation at the University of Helsinki

Format: Oral 30/20 Minutes Presentation

Category: Case Study

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

The University of Helsinki is developing ‘MyResearch’, a digital platform to streamline compliance documentation and ethical review processes for research projects. By centralizing document management, it reduces the manual workload for researchers and RMAs, while promoting responsible research.

Not Everything that Counts can be Counted!

Assessing the quality and impact of a research management office (RMO)

Format: Oral 30/20 Minutes Presentation

Category: Case Study

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

Measurement and improvement of the quality of an RMO’s services are required to justify the institutional investment needed to sustain it. But how can the impact and effectiveness of RMOs be fairly assessed? What can and should be counted, and what really counts in terms of quality assessment?

One Year Teaching Generative AI

Feedback on a Year Teaching Generative AI: Continuous Learning, Group Collaboration, and the Importance of Open Source

Format: Oral 30/20 Minutes Presentation

Category: New Initiative

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

This presentation shares insights from a year of teaching AI to European research supporters, highlighting the effectiveness of continuous learning, group collaboration, and the benefits of open-source and locally run Large Language Models (LLMs).

Optimizing the Process of Grant Application

Optimizing the Process of Grant Application: Early RMA Involvement and AI-Driven Approaches for Sustainable Grant Success

Format: Oral 30/20 Minutes Presentation

Category: Good Practice

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

Last-minute proposals lead to inefficiency and wasted resources. Our Pre-Award Road Map ensures early RMA involvement, better management, while AI integration targets the best funding opportunities for a more sustainable and strategic approach.

Overcoming Challenges in Large-Scale Research

From Concept to Reality: Overcoming Challenges in Large-Scale Research Projects with Strategic Innovation

Format: Oral 30/20 Minutes Presentation

Category: Good Practice

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

Case Study 1. Issues and Challenges: Large-scale research projects at a midsized university faced significant hurdles, including resource constraints, competing priorities, and the need for sustained innovation.

Pre and Post Award RMA Cooperation

Closing the loop: Pre and Post Award RMA Cooperation in AMBER

Format: Oral 30/20 Minutes Presentation

Category: Case Study

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

AMBER has a track record in supporting HEU proposals. Until now there has been no post-award support to researchers. A new initiative has incorporated a project manager to support multiple HEU coordinators. We will explore how this has led to better support structures across the project life cycle.

Professional roles and knowledge for RMA future

Foreseeing and developing professional roles and knowledges for the research management services of the future

Format: Oral 30/20 Minutes Presentation

Category: Case Study

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

This study maps the evolution of some very innovative roles in RMA, which are quite unique in that they are located at the intersection of professional and academic domains whose tasks and responsibilities often overlap.

Professionalising Research Support Offices: tools

Professionalising research support – Presenting frameworks for change and hands-on best practices directly applicable to your organisation’s research support office!

Format: Oral 30/20 Minutes Presentation

Category: Good Practice

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

“Focused efforts at Copenhagen Business School in Denmark and Wits University in South Africa have significantly improved operations, work environment, and success rates. Customised professional development tools that facilitated these improvements will be showcased during the session.

RAPIDS: Charting the Course for Research Managemen

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Format: Oral 30/20 Minutes Presentation

Category: New Initiative

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

The RAPIDS project, funded by NCURA, aims to develop a Professional Identity Scale for research managers and administrators globally. This presentation will explore the significance of the project and its potential to reshape the landscape of the profession.

RIMS Usage in Southern Africa

Analysis of the Usage of Research Information Management Systems in Southern African Higher Education and Research Institutions

Format: Oral 30/20 Minutes Presentation

Category: Case Study

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

The integration of Research Information Management Systems (RIMS) in higher education and research institutions has become pivotal for enhancing research productivity, collaboration, and data management. This study investigates the adoption, utilization, and impact of RIMS across Southern Africa.

RM Success Stories

Success stories from all over Europe showcase the diversity of approaches and impact of Research Management

Format: Oral 30/20 Minutes Presentation

Category: Other

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

As part of the ERA 17 Policy Action, a collection of success stories of research managers across Europe was launched aimed at spearheading an awareness-raising campaign to highlight the impact of Research Management to the R&I ecosystem on a European scale. All stories will be made available.

RMS on steroids

RMS on steroids – A look at Smart contract management and Large Language Models in next-generation Research Management Systems

Format: Oral 30/20 Minutes Presentation

Category: New Initiative

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

Smart contracts, Large Language (LLM) and other Artificial Intelligence (AI) models used together offer a sustainable IT systems approach to effective research management.

RSOBOOST Project: Transforming Research Management

Impact of the SARIMA_GATES RSOBOOST Project on Research Management Practice at Nelson Mandela University

Format: Oral 30/20 Minutes Presentation

Category: Case Study

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

Nelson Mandela University’s Research Support Office joined the SARIMA-GATES RSOBOOST project to enhance grant management and visibility. By implementing SOPs and profiling researchers, RSOBOOST strengthened NMU’s research profile and attracted funding.

Research Support with a face (better resubmission)

How to organise the best and most complete Research Support

Format: Oral 30/20 Minutes Presentation

Category: Good Practice

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

The Eindhoven University of Technology is enhancing its Research Support to meet the ever more complex demands of research funding programs. This involves optimizing the entire research life cycle, and fostering a supportive community of professionals, the Research Support Network (RSN) community.

Scaling your Research Admin. for the Future

What can we learn from U.S.-based research institutions to develop a plan to support a growing and complex research environment

Format: Oral 30/20 Minutes Presentation

Category: Good Practice

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

Sonia Singh, Managing Director at Huron Consulting, specializes in transforming research operations. This session explores strategies for scaling research administration, focusing on pre- and post-award processes, resource allocation, and the use of AI, to drive innovation.

Service Charters: Reflection and Transparency

Designing a Charter of Services: A Journey of Self-Reflection and Transparency

Format: Oral 30/20 Minutes Presentation

Category: Good Practice

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

In 2023, our office embarked on the journey of designing a Charter of Services. Beyond the final outcome, this process has been a profound journey of self-reflection, which is also an exercise in transparency aligned with the principles of Open Science.

Small RMA units and their challenges

How handle competence challenges in a small-sized RMA unit

Format: Oral 30/20 Minutes Presentation

Category: Case Study

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

Not all Research Offices are large teams filled with specialists. At smaller universities, the Research Office often consists of just a few staff members. Yet, they are still expected to provide a full spectrum of research support. This case-based presentation explores their unique challenges.

Strategic Solutions for Research Administration:

Enhancing RA in Insular and Remote Areas

Format: Oral 30/20 Minutes Presentation

Category: New Initiative

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

Solutions for the research support challenges facing remote and insular universities for enabling research and broadening participation.

Sustainable Success in RMA

Sustainable Success: Putting the Horse Before the Cart for Research Growth

Format: Oral 30/20 Minutes Presentation

Category: Case Study

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

Subtitle: Developing and implementing sustainable strategies for research growth at the University of Manchester

University-led Grand Challenge programmes

Accelerating university impact through challenge-led, interdisciplinary research programmes

Format: Oral 30/20 Minutes Presentation

Category: Case Study

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

Lessons from developing, delivering and scaling pan-institutional strategic programmes addressing Grand Challenges

“Bullshit Jobs” in RMA

“Bullshit Jobs” in Research Management & Administration: A threat to the social sustainability of the RMA-profession?

Format: Oral 30/20 Minutes Presentation

Category: New Initiative

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

In this presentation, I will apply Graeber's concept "Bullshit Jobs" to the work of research managers and administrators. I will contend that we need to be wary of bullshit tasks in the RMA-profession and develop strategies to stop their proliferation.

Bridging the KPI Gap in Pre-Award Offices

Design of a strategic KPI guideline for measuring Pre-Award offices performance

Format: Poster

Category: Good Practice

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

In research management, Pre-Award (PA) offices play a key role in securing funding and ensuring compliance. The lack of standardized KPIs creates challenges in performance assessment. We propose guidelines for implementing KPIs tailored to PA, promoting accountability and improving success rates.

ECR development with limited staff capacity

Doing more with less

Format: Poster

Category: Other

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

Early career researchers (ECRs) in Australia find it hard to navigate their careers. As RMAs with limited capacity, we introduced an ECR Committee led by ECRs and guided by us. We have evolved this approach over 7 years to sustainably grow researcher development activities in our organisation.

Formative Sessions to transform Health Research

Formative Sessions to transform Health Research through Impact, Open Science, and Responsible Evaluation

Format: Poster

Category: Good Practice

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

The sessions offer formative training to key research stakeholders, enhancing impact literacy, promoting open science, and fostering responsible research practices. By addressing the entire research lifecycle, these sessions drive transformative outcomes within Catalonia’s health research ecosystem.

Glasgow Social Sciences Hub

Making research accessible, relatable and impactful

Format: Poster

Category: Good Practice

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

Launched in October 2022, the Glasgow Social Sciences Hub brings together the latest research outputs, events and news from across the UofG. Unlike other university platforms and more traditional outputs, the Glasgow Social Sciences Hub presents research in an accessible way that our target audience

In Tune with Principle 3: A Global Call

An agenda for action for RMA Professionalism

Format: Poster

Category: Other

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

The session provides insights on how the third principle (professional) of the Hiroshima Statement is perceived through the lens of senior leaders in Research Management Associations based in LMICs and offers an agenda for action to improve RMAs working in this sphere.

Investing in influence

Investing in influence: The strategic value of a policy affairs office for Research Advocacy

Format: Poster

Category: Other

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

On the importance for R&I and academic organisations of having presence in the decision-making and legislative capitals to be up-to-date and have a say in the development of policies to boost the promotion of innovation and public policies, based onn the example of the EU and Brussels

NUIM Case Study

Case Study: Do Research Development Offices need a Gender Lens?

Format: Poster

Category: Case Study

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

The effect of gender on grant funding is well known, however there is less data on how applicant gender affects proposal application. We carry out a case study of Horizon Europe applications supported by our office to explore whether Research Development and Support offices need a gender lens.

ReLint

Advancing Internationalization and Leadership in Agricultural Research: IAS-CSIC's Strategic Plan to Reinforce Internationalization and Participation in European Projects.

Format: Poster

Category: Good Practice

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

The Institute for Sustainable Agriculture (IAS) aims to strengthen its leadership in agricultural research. This poster outlines goals, challenges, and strategies for expanding IAS’s research impact, promoting collaboration on sustainability and leadership among similar research institutions.

Supporting interdisciplinarity: US-EU experiences

Supporting interdisciplinarity: experiences from universities in Europe and the U.S.

Format: Poster

Category: Case Study

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

An increasing number of universities across the world continue to push for an increase in interdisciplinary research to solve complex problems via internal seed funding instruments. Our poster reflects on successes and challenges at US and European universities.

The Impact of Mentorship in Research Management

The Transformative Power of Mentorship in Research Management and Administration – The EARMA Mentoring Scheme Paradigm

Format: Poster

Category: Good Practice

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

This work examines the role of mentorship for RMA professionals, focusing on findings from the inaugural EARMA Mentoring Scheme . Mentorship fosters career growth, skill development, and continuous learning but faces challenges in RMA professionals.

The Role of EI in Research Support Offices

The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Research Support Offices: Insights from a Case Study

Format: Poster

Category: Case Study

Topic: 1. Building Better RMA services

Research management in South Africa is evolving, emphasising emotional intelligence (EI) as a key skill for success. EI is crucial for navigating complex research landscapes and building effective teams. This study aims to assess the impact of EI on staff well-being and performance in a research sup