The Adviser to the Vice-Chancellor on Good Research Practice, Stefan Eriksson, has drawn up a proposal for a new setup to support research ethics and good research practice, which was adopted by the Vice-Chancellor before the end of last year
“The need for systematic efforts to protect the credibility of science and scholarship and good research practice has increased. Both the Act on Responsibility for Good Research Practice and the Ethical Review Act emphasise that the entity responsible for research has overall responsibility for ensuring that research is conducted in accordance with the law,” says Stefan Eriksson.
The proposal on a new setup has been circulated for comment in the University.
1. Confidential advisers on research ethics
The University delegates the responsibility for fulfilling existing requirements concerning education in research ethics, support and compliance to each disciplinary domain. The disciplinary domains will fulfil this responsibility partly through their line organisation and partly by appointing two or more confidential advisers on research ethics, whose task will be to provide advice and support in issues of research ethics and good research practice.
2. Adviser to the Vice-Chancellor charged with supporting the confidential advisers.
To ensure that these confidential advisers receive the requisite support and to guarantee expertise over time independent of individuals, the Adviser to the Vice-Chancellor should be convener in an informal ‘research ethics council’, consisting of the confidential advisers in the domains. These meetings will offer scope for experience and knowledge exchange.