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Research Integrity in Europe & beyondUSA Pioneer 1989:Office of Inspector General (NSF) and Office of Research Integrity (NIH)

Nordic countries: Pioneer in Europe Early 1990sGermany 1999 (DFG and MPG)England 2006 (UKRIO)Austria 2008 (OeAWI)

European Network of Research Integrity Offices 2008 (ENRIO; 19 member countries)

ESF/ALLEA: The European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity (2011)

EU Horizon 2020: Research Integrity included

OECD: Facilitating International Research Misconduct Investigations (2009)

1stWorld Conference on Research Integrity (WCRI) Lisbon (2007): 2nd World Conference (WCRI) in Singapore (2010): Singapore Statement3rd WCRI in Montreal (2013) Montreal Statement4th WCRI Rio de Janeiro (2015) 2

Members of ENRIO

Representatives from 21 European countries (2 observers)

Members belong to:

National organizations responsible for investigation and/or oversight of allegations of research misconduct

Organizations providing funding for research

National organizations with a special interest in promoting RI

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ENRIO: Members 2014

CEPN

OeAWI

FWO VCWI

CESHE

DCSD

TENK

CNRSINSERM

OMBUDSMAN

HRBRIA

CNR

FNR

LOWI

ETIKKOM

PAN

SRDA

CSIC

SA

UKRIO

4/2014 by OeAWI

ETAg

ABBREVIATIONSAustria OeAWI Austrian Agency for Research IntegrityBelgium FWO Research Foundation – Flanders

VCWI Flemish Commission for Research IntegrityCroatia CESHE Croatian Committee on Ethics in Science and

Higher Education (until Nov. 2010)

Czech Republic Academy of Sciences of the Czech RepublicDenmark DCSD Danish Committees on Scientific DishonestyEstonia ETAg Estonian Research CouncilFinland TENK Finnish Advisory Board on Research IntegrityFrance CNRS Centre national de la recherche scientifique

INSERM Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale

Germany OMBUDSMAN Ombudsman für die WissenschaftSciInt Scientificintegrity.de

Ireland HRB Health Research BoardRIA Royal Irish Academy

Italy CNR Consiglio Nazionale delle RicercheLuxembourg FNR Fonds National de la RechercheNetherlands LOWI National Board for Research IntegrityNorway ETIKKOM The National Committees for Research EthicsPoland PAN Polska Akademia NaukPortugal FCT Portuguese Foundation for Science and TechnologySlovak Republic SRDA Slovak Research and Development AgencySpain CSIC Consejo Superior de Investigaciones CientíficasSweden CEPN Expert Group for misconduct in research at the

Central Ethical Review BoardSwitzerland SA Swiss Academies of Arts and SciencesUnited Kingdom UKRIO UK Research Integrity Office

© digitale-europakarte.de

MemberObserver

SciInt

FCT

AV CR

ENRIOs strengths (1)

Exchange of information and experience

– Improve own national structures and procedures– Support/Advice members having no national structures

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Discussion of Cases

– Hot topics: “plagiarism”, “authorship”, “digital data storage”,…

ENRIO’s strengths (2)

Independence, voluntary membership

– No bureaucracy– Democracy

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Enthusiasm of the members

– Personally convinced of the importance of promoting RI– Different backgrounds

ENRIO aims to….

• Meet twice a year

• Share experience/best practice

Investigation of allegations of research misconductTraining/Education in good scientific practice

Externally• Develop proposals for national and international organizations

• Cooperate with other international organizations engaged in RI

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Different national RI systems

• Austria

• Denmark

• Norway

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Different national RI systems

• Austria

• Denmark

• Norway

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Austria

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Austria (1)

Austrian Agency for Research Integrity

• Founded in 2008

• Association; today 36 member institutions

• Financed through membership fees

• Not part of the Ministry; independent organisation

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Structure

Raising awarenessPrevention

Agencyfinanced throughmembership fees

ALL UniversitiesNon-university research inst.Funding agencies

members(36 institutions)Everyone

Chair:President of the Austrian Science Fund

Board(6 members)

Research Misconduct

Commission(6 members; Non-

Austrians)

Austria (2)

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Austrian Commission for Research Integrity

• 6 members: renowned scientists, different disciplines

• Appointed by the Austrian Research Council

• Non-Austrians!!!

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Tasks of the Agency

3. „Service facility“:

guarantee independent and confidential investigations

advise members in all matters related to scientific integrity

1. Safeguarding good scientific practice

4. National and international Networking

2. Raising awareness

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Denmark

Denmark (1)

Danish Committees on Scientific Dishonesty (DCSD) 1992-

• Office is part of the central administration of the Danish Agency for Science,

Technology and Innovation, part of the Ministry (M. of Science, Innovation and

Higher Education).

• „Scientific dishonesty“ is defined by law

Consolidation Act No. 1064 (6.9.2012; Parliament)

Executive Order No. 306 (20.4.2009; Government/Ministry)

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Denmark (2)

Danish Committees on Scientific Dishonesty (DCSD)

• Committee on Scientific Dishonesty for

- Research in Health and Medical Sciences

- Research in Natural, Technological and Production Science

- Research in Cultural and Social Science

• Permanent Board: members elected for 4 + 2 years

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Denmark (3)

Danish Committees on Scientific Dishonesty (DCSD)

• 1 Chair for all 3 Committees + 6 members (6 proxy) in each Committee

- Chair is high court judge

- Members are renowned scientists

• Appointed by the Ministry (advised by Danish Council for Independent

Research). The Committees are independent. Can not be instructed.

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Denmark (4)

Danish Committees on Scientific Dishonesty (DCSD)

• Office within Division for Legal Affairs (Danish Agency for Science, Technology

and Innovation)

• Decisions are made public in extenso, anonymized (not confidential) . May

recommend sanctions

• All severe allegations. Some 10 Cases per year. Yearly anonymized report

• No mandate to promote RI in Denmark so far. Working on a Code of Conduct19

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Norway

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Norway (1)

The Norwegian National Research Ethics Committees (RI) including National Commission for the Investigation of Research Misconduct

Research Ethics Committees founded in 1990.

• Independent. Responsible for national guidelines.

The National Commission (RM): 7 members (1 from abroad) 4 proxy. 4 years x 2

founded in 2007

• Under the auspicies of Ministry of Education and Research

• Chair: Must have experience as a judge

• Research misconduct is defined by law. Covers public and private research

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Norway (2)

Local level:

• Main responsibility for investigating allegations and for

preventing misconduct and QRP.

• May ask for guidance/advice from the National Commission

National level

• Anyone can send a complaint to the National Commission.

• The National Commission may deal with a (seriouis) allegation or

redirect it to the responsible institution, enterprise etc.• Oversight function: Institutions etc. are expected to inform the

National Commission about handled cases• May investigate a case on its own initiative

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Norway (3)

National Commisssion

• Documents may be kept confidential during investigation

• The decisions of are made public (anonymized but not

confidential) .

• Decisions may be appealed to the Ministry (Ad hoc body)

• Yearly anonymized report on all known Norwegian cases.

Since 2007:

• Some 10 cases/allegations per year.

• Research misconduct (as defined by law) have been concluded in

one – two cases per year.

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Aus DK NOR UKRIO

Law N0 YES YES NO

Investigation by national body (YES) YES (YES) NO

Mainly local responsibility YES (NO) YES YES

Sanctions REC REC NO NO

Appeal N/A NO YES N/A

Advisory role YES (NO) YES YES

Prevention/promoting RI YES NO YES YES

National guidelines ? ( NO) YES YES

Same challenges. Many solutions

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Thanks for your attention

Torkild Vinther,

Director National Commission for the Investigation of Research Misconduct, Norway

www.etikkom.noTorkild.vinther@etikkom.no