Live research administration trainings are open to all in the MIT research administration community and those exploring a career in research administration. MIT authentication is required to register for and join online trainings.
MIT Atlas Learning Center closes registration two days before the course is scheduled to be held. Atlas email course reminders will include Zoom links for virtual sessions. Register early, and contact training@mit.edu if a course you are interested in is closed or if you have any registration difficulties.
Drop-In Sessions
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RA Support team members will highlight topics drawn from current trends in questions received through ra-help@mit.edu. We invite you to bring questions and/or current proposals that you are working on. Join on Zoom (no registration required)
August 2026
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The transition from award receipt to project spending is one of the most critical, and often most inconsistent, phases of the research lifecycle. Decisions made during award set-up directly impact compliance, financial accuracy, audit readiness, and the overall success of a project.
In this highly interactive workshop, participants will work through the full award set-up process from notice of award to first spend. Through guided exercises, real-world scenarios, and facilitated discussion, attendees will explore how to review and interpret award terms and conditions, establish budgets and accounts, align institutional systems, and effectively coordinate with principal investigators and internal stakeholders.
The workshop will also surface common breakdowns in this phase…such as misinterpretation of sponsor requirements, delays in account setup, and communication gaps, and provide practical tools and frameworks to address them. Participants will leave with actionable strategies, checklists, and process improvements they can immediately apply to strengthen accuracy, efficiency, and compliance at their institutions.
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Analyze a Notice of Award (NOA) to identify key financial, compliance, and administrative requirements that impact award set-up.
- Translate award terms and conditions into accurate budget structures, account setup, and spending parameters.
- Apply a step-by-step framework for moving an award from receipt to first spend, including roles and responsibilities across pre-award, post-award, and departmental teams.
- Evaluate common risks and process gaps (e.g., delayed setup, misaligned budgets, unclear restrictions) and determine strategies to mitigate them.
- Develop a standardized checklist or workflow to improve consistency and efficiency in award set-up at their institution.
- Demonstrate effective communication approaches for engaging PIs and stakeholders during the transition from award to spending.
- Assess how early decisions in award set-up impact downstream compliance, reporting, and audit outcomes.
Registration is not required. Please join us August 4, 2026, via Zoom:
https://mit.zoom.us/j/92957676090
We are currently planning trainings for the upcoming academic year. Browse recent self-study webinars and courses, or view all research administration courses.
Share your topic suggestions at ra-help@mit.edu.