From Idea to Reality: Introducing an Internal Conference for Research Administrators
Introducing internal professional development at your institution can be an exciting and overwhelming task.
In 2023, Oklahoma State University (OSU) focused on building up professional development for research administrators internally. One way to accomplish this goal was to introduce an internal free-of-charge one-day conference hosted by OSU’s central administration. The conference included speakers from the Stillwater campus talking about various topics such as data management plans, faculty perceptions of grants, customer service, information security, artificial intelligence, and engaging faculty with sponsored programs. Each presentation was 30 minutes in length with breaks in between.
OSU’s campus is a decentralized structure with sponsored program offices in each college. The campus leaders from each college were an integral part of the success and development of the conference. By including campus leaders from the various offices, the central office connected more with these individuals and built a stronger relationship throughout the planning of the conference.
Following the conference, a post-conference survey was sent out to the 47 attendees, and we received 37 responses. Of the responses, 97% indicated their interest in continued professional development opportunities such as the conference being made available on campus.
On a scale of 1-5 with 5 being the highest score, the respondents rated the overall experience of the conference with an average rating of 4.24 indicating high satisfaction among the attendees. OSU also received qualitative feedback with respondents saying, “Thank you for this initiative. Learning every day keeps us alive” and another respondent saying, “I'm thrilled that the sponsored program conference took place, and I look forward to attending for years to come. Thank you for hosting it.” OSU also received feedback on how to improve with one respondent saying, “I think it would be good for our larger group to have workshops with tips and tricks” and another respondent saying, “The breaks between sessions were too long.”
In 2023, OSU introduced several programs beyond the conference and has continued to build upon these programs in 2024. With the positive feedback received about the internal conference, this conference is now going to be an annual event to look forward to. Below is a list of considerations if you plan to implement a similar activity on your campus.
Considerations:
- Involve Campus Leaders. This will not only build a strong bond among the team but also a way to divide the work of preparing a conference among a team.
- Communicate. Communicate the opportunity to multiple stakeholders. For OSU’s campus, we communicated to the associate deans for research, Sponsored Programs Offices, and other campuses within the OSU system.
- Start Small and Build. The first conference does not have to be huge and overwhelming. Start with a small idea and grow from there. OSU’s first conference involved only six total presentations over one day and received positive reviews from attendees. Don’t overcomplicate the opportunity!
- Ask for Feedback. By asking for feedback, we were able to justify the need for the conference to be an annual event. We were also able to see how to improve for subsequent conferences and generate ideas for additional internal professional development opportunities.
- Provide a gift bag to attendees. Ask offices campuswide if they would be willing to donate items for the gift bags. Remember! The conference can be minimum cost with maximum results.
Authored by Dr. Julie Swaringim-Griffin, Assistant Vice President of Central Sponsored Programs Administration
Oklahoma State University