Mission of the project

The project aims to address the lack of objective tools to measure the professional identity of Research Administrators (RAs) worldwide, hindering the recognition and consolidation of the profession. By developing a Research Administration Professional IDentity Values Scale (RAPIDS), this endeavor seeks to provide insights into the core values and professional identity of RAs, benefiting current practitioners, prospective career seekers, professional associations such as NCURA, and policymakers. Through a mixed-methods approach, including literature review, expert interviews, focus groups, and surveys, the project aims to create and validate RAPIDS, enabling individuals to understand their professional identity in research administration and fostering the profession's growth and impact. Ultimately, RAPIDS will contribute to global efforts in advancing the field of research administration and nurturing a collective professional identity among practitioners.