The University of Alabama is implementing CORE (Collaborative Operations & Research Ecosystem), a modern platform designed to support and connect both research administration and broader institutional compliance operations.
CORE is part of the University’s Capstone Convergence initiative, advancing institution-wide efforts to modernize systems, improve efficiency, and enhance data-driven decision-making.
While CORE strengthens the full research lifecycle, it also supports institution-wide processes, including areas such as institutional conflict of interest disclosures and disclosure of external activities, reflecting its broader role as an enterprise operations platform.
What is CORE?
CORE is a comprehensive enterprise administration ecosystem that enhances how research and compliance activities are managed, tracked and reported across the University. The platform is designed to:
- Support both research and institutional compliance workflows
- Provide a consistent, enterprise-wide source of data
- Streamline administrative and compliance processes
- Strengthen oversight across both research and non-research domains
- Enable scalable growth across UA’s academic and operational mission
CORE Capabilities
Grants & Agreements Management
- Proposal development, routing, and submission
- Award setup and lifecycle tracking
- Agreement and document management
- Intake, negotiation tracking, and execution workflows
- Integration with other research administration processes
Conflict of Interest
- Disclosure submission and review
- Compliance monitoring and reporting
Includes both:
- Research-related conflict of interest
- Institutional conflict of interest disclosures beyond the research context
Research Compliance & Operations
- Protocol submission and review workflows (IRB, IACUC, and IBC)
- Committee management and approvals
- Vivarium operations support, including facility management and billing
- Regulatory documentation and tracking
Research Analytics & Reporting
- Enhanced visibility into research activity and outcomes
- Dashboards and reporting tools
Implementation Timeline
CORE will be implemented in phases from December 2025 to October 2027.
The phased approach allows the University to:
- Introduce functionality incrementally
- Provide targeted training and support
- Gather user feedback and refine processes
- Ensure continuity of operations throughout implementation
Additional details on module rollout and milestones will be shared as they are finalized.
Current Systems & Future State
During the implementation period, CORE will be introduced alongside existing research administration systems.
As modules are deployed:
- Users may begin to see new functionality available within CORE
- Some processes may gradually transition into the new platform
- Existing systems will continue to support ongoing activities as needed
Guidance will be provided to help faculty and staff understand when and how to use CORE in conjunction with current tools.
Training & Change Support
The University will provide comprehensive support to ensure a smooth transition to CORE, including:
- Role-based training opportunities
- Hands-on demonstrations and workshops
- Job aids and user documentation
- Ongoing communication and updates
- Dedicated support resources
The Research Systems & Reporting (RSR) team will partner closely with campus users to support adoption and readiness.