Peer review identifies strengths, opportunities for the One KU Research enterprise

Monday, Feb. 23, 2026

Dear Colleagues,

Last year, the University of Kansas invited peer review teams from the National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA) to conduct in-depth assessments of research administration operations on the Lawrence and Medical Center campuses. These comprehensive external reviews — conducted by experienced research administration leaders from peer institutions — provided valuable insights into our strengths and opportunities as we continue unification toward a service-focused One KU research enterprise.

Overall, the NCURA team found KU to have a strong institutional commitment to research, dedicated and knowledgeable staff, well-developed policies, and a healthy culture of collaboration and continuous improvement across campuses. The reviewers noted KU’s strategic investments in proposal development, research infrastructure, faculty support and system modernization, as well as our shared focus on reducing administrative burden and improving the researcher experience.

At the same time, the reviewers identified several opportunities to enhance effectiveness, consistency and transparency across the research life cycle. While the recommendations span many operational areas, they converge around three core themes that will guide our next steps:

Optimizing efficiencies
NCURA highlighted opportunities to streamline workflows, modernize tools and reduce pain points experienced by faculty and staff. Examples include:

  • Reducing redundant reviews and handoffs in proposal and award processes to create clearer, more predictable routing.
  • More fully leveraging the myResearch suite, including improved HR/finance system integration and automated award-status tracking.
  • Creating clearer process maps — particularly for award setup, contracting and subaward management — to support transparency and consistent service across units.

These recommendations align closely with current One KU working groups focused on business process alignment, myResearch software implementation and cross-campus contracting.

Effective communications
Across both campuses, the reviews noted strong communication practices but emphasized that clearer, more coordinated and more visible information would further strengthen the research ecosystem. Key opportunities include:

  • Developing a unified communications strategy that integrates One KU messaging, streamlines newsletters and elevates essential updates.
  • Improving visibility of policies, job aids and workflow guidance, especially for faculty navigating complex or cross-campus processes.
  • Expanding and modernizing training programs, including investigator training, research administration training and professional development for central and unit-level staff.

These efforts are already in progress, supported by the One KU Research Administration Council’s Communications & Training Working Group and ongoing improvements in cross-campus advisory engagement.

Risk tolerance
NCURA encouraged KU to clarify institutional expectations for risk-based decision-making and ensure consistency in compliance oversight. Recommendations include:

  • Adopting clear risk-informed review thresholds and utilizing automated compliance tools that allow low-risk transactions to move forward with minimal pre-review, complemented by targeted audits.
  • Standardizing key policies — such as those governing contract negotiation frameworks and visiting scientist processes — to reduce confusion and improve cross-campus alignment.
  • Documenting institutional decision pathways — including when and how exceptions are considered — to enhance transparency for units and faculty.

These actions will help KU balance strong compliance with efficient operations, supporting a research environment that is both responsible and enabling.

Next steps
In the coming months, KU Lawrence and KU Medical Center will jointly prioritize NCURA recommendations and develop implementation plans, many of which will be embedded into existing One KU initiatives. This includes ongoing work to strengthen process consistency, improve communication infrastructure, optimize training and professional development, and deploy new tools through the myResearch system. We will keep you informed and invite your engagement along the way.

We are grateful to the many faculty, staff and administrators who contributed to the review and who support KU’s research mission every day. Your partnership ensures that KU continues to foster a thriving research environment that advances discovery, collaboration and innovation for the benefit of Kansas, the nation and the world.

Respectfully,
Matthias & Shelley

Matthias Salathe
Chief Research Officer
& Senior Vice Chancellor

Shelley Hooks
Vice Chancellor for Research