Rutgers Earns Prestigious Five-Year Reaccreditation for Human Research Protection
Rutgers has once again demonstrated its commitment to research integrity and participant safety by earning reaccreditation from the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP), the highest standard for human research protection.
The reaccreditation comes three years after Rutgers first earned AAHRPP accreditation, underscoring the university’s continued commitment to meeting rigorous ethical and regulatory standards.
“AAHRPP accreditation is more than a credential. It is a reaffirmation that we value the safeguarding of the rights and well-being of research participants while fostering innovation that transforms lives,” said Michael E. Zwick, senior vice president for research at Rutgers. “Our Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) and Institutional Review Board (IRB) team, led by Hila Berger, works hard to ensure that all of our stakeholders – researchers, sponsors, government regulators, the public, and especially research participants – can be certain that the work conducted at Rutgers is done with the utmost care and focus.”
“AAHRRP reaccreditation reinforces our promise to lead with responsibility and excellence,” said Berger. “It signals to our participants, sponsors, and partners that Rutgers is a place where groundbreaking research and human dignity go hand in hand.”
According to Berger, AAHRPP accreditation benefits the university, its researchers, and research participants by enabling the institution to attract sponsors and collaborators while ensuring the highest level of protection.
Following its initial accreditation, Rutgers’ HRPP and IRB teams implemented several strategic initiatives to enhance compliance, efficiency, and support for researchers. They launched eIRB+, a significant update to the IRB submission process that made the routing and tracking of their IRB submissions entirely online, while streamlining workflows and improving interfaces. This upgrade provided investigators and IRB staff with a more intuitive and efficient user experience.
The HRPP also established systematic tracking of key performance metrics, including turnaround times, research portfolio breadth, and IRB capacity. This data-informed approach enables proactive process refinement and supports transparency in research oversight. Additionally, the program expanded its education portfolio, offering comprehensive modules aligned with AAHRPP standards, alongside workshops, training sessions, and targeted guidance topics. These efforts underscore Rutgers’ commitment to fostering a culture of ethical research and operational excellence.
Rutgers is among 206 institutions in the United States with AAHRPP accreditation, and the only university in New Jersey to hold this accreditation. Following AAHRPP policies and procedures, Rutgers performed self-assessment and gap analysis required for re-accreditation – a process that at minimum spans 12-18 months and requires extensive coordination – three years after its initial accreditation, and will do so again every five years going forward.
AAHRPP is a nonprofit organization that provides accreditation for organizations that conduct or review human research and can demonstrate that their protections exceed the safeguards required by the international guidelines and laws governing research involving humans in the United States and other countries.
