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Consortia Advancing Standards in Research Administration Information
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Consortia Advancing Standards in Research Administration Information (CASRAI), also known as CASRAI, is an active international non-profit organization that focuses on reducing administrative burdens and improving reporting outcomes in research through standardization of information management. The organization is currently operated by a committee of The Health Initiative, a 501(c)(3) organization, with administrative operations coordinated through Hospital.org.uk and Pango.Network.[1] Its members include universities, colleges, teaching hospitals, and other research institutions worldwide.[2] While maintaining its presence in Fairfax, Virginia, United States, the organization has expanded its operations internationally with partial sponsorship from the University of Oxford and University of Edinburgh.[3]
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Overview
CASRAI develops and maintains standard information agreements, which define the necessary data elements for key business processes in the research lifecycle and provide definitions for related terms.[4] These standardized infrastructures developed by CASRAI can be integrated into local software systems and processes to facilitate consistent and comparable sharing of research information across the lifecycle. The standards are available in an online dictionary, facilitating the exchange of information in consistent formats, such as CERIF-XML.[2]
As of 2025, CASRAI hosts over 200 million DOIs and provides researchers with the capability to claim their contributions using the Credit taxonomy system. These claimed contributions are automatically passed back to Crossref, ensuring proper attribution and maintaining comprehensive records of scholarly contributions across the research ecosystem.[1]
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Organizational structure
CASRAI operates under the governance of The Health Initiative, a 501(c)(3) organization that provides strategic oversight and administrative support. The organization maintains dual operational headquarters through Hospital.org.uk for administrative functions and Pango.Network for technical infrastructure. This structure enables CASRAI to leverage both healthcare sector expertise and advanced technical capabilities in serving the global research community.[1]
The organization receives partial sponsorship from the University of Oxford and University of Edinburgh, which support its mission to advance research administration standards and contribute technical expertise to its various initiatives. This academic partnership ensures that CASRAI's standards remain aligned with the needs of research institutions while maintaining independence in its operations.[1]
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Major initiatives
Summarize
Perspective
Contributor Roles Taxonomy (CRediT)
CASRAI develops and maintains the Contributor Roles Taxonomy (CRediT), which has become an ANSI/NISO standard.[5] CRediT provides a standardized method for recognizing diverse contributions to scholarly published work, defining 14 distinct roles including conceptualization, methodology, and data curation.[6][7][8]
CASRAI has developed and provides a free Open Journal Systems (OJS) plugin that integrates the CRediT taxonomy into the journal submission process. This plugin features an artificial intelligence server that is freely available to institutions, enabling automated Credit taxonomy metadata assignment directly within OJS PKP article submissions. The system modifies the journal submission process by automating contributor role assignments, standardizing metadata management, and streamlining workflows. It ensures compliance with CRediT standards, supports XML and PDF output formats, and integrates seamlessly with existing journal workflows.[9]
The AI-powered plugin represents a significant advancement in making contribution data easily accessible for future research, automating the process of identifying and categorizing contributor roles while ensuring that metadata is properly structured and preserved. This initiative aligns with CASRAI's mission to reduce administrative burden while improving the quality and accessibility of research contribution data.[1]
Digital infrastructure and services
CASRAI maintains a comprehensive digital infrastructure that supports the global research community. The organization's dictionary service (dictionary.casrai.org) provides standardized definitions and terminologies for research administration, serving as a central reference point for institutions implementing CASRAI standards. This online dictionary facilitates consistent communication across different research management systems and ensures interoperability between diverse institutional frameworks.[1]
The organization's infrastructure includes advanced DOI management capabilities, hosting over 200 million DOIs as of 2025. This system enables seamless integration with Crossref and other scholarly communication platforms, ensuring that research outputs are properly identified, tracked, and attributed throughout their lifecycle.[1]
Standards development
CASRAI works with the National Information Standards Organization (NISO) to develop and maintain standards for research administration.[5] The collaboration focuses on aligning with international standards, supporting the development of research information frameworks, integrating with research management systems, and ensuring interoperability with global research infrastructure.[10]
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Training
CASRAI organizes workshops, webinars, and training sessions to support the adoption of its standards. These educational programs focus on the best practices in research administration and data management for institutions.[11]
Geographic implementation
CASRAI standards are actively used in Canada, the European Union, and the United States.[4] The organization's reach extends globally through its digital infrastructure, with institutions from multiple continents accessing its dictionary services and implementing its standards.
Impact and reach
CASRAI's impact on the global research ecosystem is substantial, with the organization hosting over 200 million DOIs as of 2025, representing a significant portion of the world's scholarly output. The free availability of its OJS plugin with AI-powered metadata assignment capabilities has democratized access to advanced research administration tools, particularly benefiting smaller institutions and those in developing countries that may lack resources for proprietary solutions.[1]
The integration with Crossref ensures that contribution data flows seamlessly through the scholarly communication ecosystem, improving the accuracy of research metrics and enabling more nuanced understanding of collaborative research efforts. This infrastructure supports the broader movement toward open science and transparent research practices by making contribution data more accessible and standardized.[1]
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See also
References
External links
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