Originally launched in February 2022 as part of the Research Lifecycle’s Project A, the Research Risk Profiler (RRP) is a simple tool that helps researchers to quickly and easily identify factors which may delay or slow their work.

The RRP is a questionnaire that takes about 15 minutes to complete. The structured questions help to quickly identify challenges in key risk and compliance areas, such as export controls, and signpost to resources and support that the University offers. The RRP ensures that researchers are offered solutions that are appropriate to their project, rather than a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach.

Speaking about the Research Risk Profiler, Professor Colette Fagan, Vice-President for Research said:

‘The Research Risk Profiler is a tool that will help researchers, at any stage of the academic career, to navigate the potential pitfalls of a changing funding and legal landscape quickly and easily. Investing just a few minutes at the start of a project has the potential to save weeks further down the road.

I encourage our researchers to use this risk profiler so that they are able to start work as soon as a grant is approved, and continue to raise The University of Manchester’s profile across the UK and beyond.’

Senior and experienced researchers will be familiar with many of the measures that the RRP highlights. However, the profiler will be regularly updated to reflect changes in the compliance landscape. Researchers who are new to The University of Manchester will benefit from the single point of contact that the tool provides. Using the RRP will help to ensure that projects are meeting the latest University, funder and legislative requirements.

The RRP is not an end in itself. It triages the most serious risk and compliance issues and enables researchers to connect with specialist professional services colleagues who can support them. The profiler is an enabler of research, helping to support the highest-risk projects through professional collaboration.

The tool offers significant benefits to research support staff by providing a better overview of the risks in each portfolio. Similarly, it ensures that there is more information available to approvers to support decision-making.

Using centralised resources, the RRP also supports Research Services by providing checklists for compliance processes and monitoring of due diligence thresholds. It also helps to ensure that information is gathered in a single place, rather than in e-mail chains for example, improving efficiency.

What Do You Need To Do?

You can access the Research Risk Profiler via: https://www.staffnet.manchester.ac.uk/rbe/rs/preparing/trusted_research/ where you will also see information about the broader principles of Trusted Research.

Future Developments

The risk and compliance environment is constantly changing with new guidance, funder requirements and changes to legislation. The resources that underpin the RRP will be kept up-to-date ensuring that anyone who uses it will receive the latest advice and information relating to their project.

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