Research integrity
We support our researchers to adhere to the highest standards of research integrity, and effectively meet the challenges of an increasingly complex research environment.
We are committed to ensuring that research ethics, integrity and governance and are firmly embedded in our ethos and culture.
Ethics and integrity
Our College is integral to the ongoing development and implementation of a new University online ethics application system, which remains a priority, with a planned roll-out for 2021-2022.
We will continue to develop Cross-College Collaboration in supporting and informing ethical review procedures. We will also continue to support our CAHSS School ethics leads through strategically enhancing the supportive community nature of the College Research Ethics Committee (CREC), facilitating training opportunities for ethics leads, and developing and contributing to resources to support ethics practice needs in Schools.
In response to the Covid-19 pandemic and the growth of online research, we have strategically prioritised the development of resources to support the ethical implementation of such research. We are committed to expanding this initial work, and through collaboration with Digital Research Services will develop further ethics guidance.
Consistent with embedding a culture of research integrity, we are committed to having a robust process to deal with any concerns regarding research misconduct. While instances of research misconduct are relatively rare, where they do occur they can pose a significant threat to the rigour and integrity of our research. Building on the University Research Misconduct Policy, we will continue to develop robust, transparent, proportionate and considerate procedures to fairly manage and record the incidence of any potential and confirmed cases of research misconduct.
- We will continue to contribute to University and College initiatives to enhance research culture and integrity, and to strengthen and raise the profile of the CAHSS research ethics community.
- We will lead and input to activities and strategy to support ethical practices and processes in Schools, including through providing support for skills and professional development of research managers involved in supporting and guiding research.
- We will prioritise developing resources to support the ethical implementation of online research.
- We will continue to develop and improve procedures for managing allegations of research misconduct.
Open research
The University and our College is in many respects a pioneer in Open Research, with outstanding infrastructure and support for data sharing, and an ambitious approach to Open Access. We are committed to ensuring our findings are data are open where possible, and closed where necessary. We aim to promote a 'FAIR' approach to data sharing:
- Findable,
- Accessible,
- Interoperable,
- and Re-usable.
Many of our disciplines face challenges in relation to Open Research, for a range of ethical and practical reasons. To help identify and overcome the various challenges across Schools, we developed a College strategy for engaging and supporting colleagues in promoting open research, which is now being brought forward through bespoke School plans. The School strategies address a range of Open Research issues faced across different disciplines and Schools. One of the key issues faced by academics involved in Open Research is the dynamic and fast-moving landscape of funders’ requirements. Plan S and new REF Open Access policies will present new challenges to our disciplines, as monographs and chapters will fall under the scope for compliance.
We will continue to explore the potential of online workflow and collaboration tools, such as RSpace Notebooks and protocols, to enable the effective sharing of methods and materials and open up new research possibilities. We are committed to sustaining this constructive approach to Open Research, and to strengthening our mechanisms for coordinating support across Schools.
- We will continue to oversee School activities and ensure we have the right resources/structures in place to maximise engagement with the Open Research agenda.
- We will work with Schools and IS to ensure that we are at the vanguard of good practice in data-sharing and continue to promote FAIR principles for data sharing
- We will establish a coordinating group of Open Research/Open Access academic and professional support leads to ensure we effectively coordinate and adapt guidance and support for OR through the research lifecycle?, and in order to feed into evolving plans in the wider sector.
- We will provide guidance and training for researchers appropriate to their disciplinary setting, including advice on sharing data and funder policies as well as support for sustainable Open Access options.
- We will continue to explore platforms to support research collaboration.