Research Integrity Policy

Introduction

1. As a community of scholars, the truthfulness, openness and integrity with which University researchers conduct their research is fundamental to the core values of the institution. Furthermore, UK funder regulations require the University to adhere to the principles of the UK Concordat to Support Research Integrity.

Purpose

2. Northeastern University London (the University) is committed to ensuring that all research conducted by, or on behalf of the University is conducted to the highest standards of rigour and integrity, in accordance with the University’s Research Integrity Policy and national guidance. As such, this Policy adheres to the UK’s Concordat to Support Research Integrity and UK Research Integrity Office’s Code of Practice for Research in setting out the expectations for researchers and the research environment.

Scope

3. This Policy and associated procedures apply to all University employees and students involved in scholarship, research, research training, or research-related activities conducted under the auspices of the University.
4. It is the responsibility of Research Supervisors to ensure that researchers and/or students working on research projects, whether funded by external sponsors or not, are familiar with all relevant research policy and procedural documents. 
5. This Policy and associated procedures apply to research activities in their broadest form, including enterprise and innovation, consultancy, the application of research, knowledge exchange and public engagement. 
6. This Policy should be read alongside related University policies that provide further guidance for researchers in specific areas such as: ethical treatment of human or animal subjects; bullying, sexual harassment, or discrimination; data protection; intellectual property rights; export control, health and safety; research misconduct, international travel and openness in research, which are covered by other University policies and can be found in the University’s Academic Handbook.
7. Honest errors and differences in interpretations or judgments of data and/or research methodology do not constitute research misconduct.
8. Procedures for dealing with accusations of research misconduct are covered in the University’s Research Misconduct Policy.

Definitions

9. Research: a systematic investigation, including research, development, testing and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to generalisable knowledge. Activities which meet this definition constitute research for the purposes of this Policy, whether or not they are conducted or supported under a programme that is considered research for other purposes.
10. Research Integrity: conducting research in an honest, transparent, ethical, robust and reproducible manner, in accordance with the UK’s Concordat to Support Research Integrity and UK Research Integrity Office’s Code of Practice for Research. 
11. Research Misconduct: behaviours or actions that fall short of the standards of ethics, research and scholarship required to ensure that the integrity of research is upheld. Research misconduct can cause harm to people and the environment, waste resources, undermine the research record and damage the credibility of research.
12. Researchers: any employee, affiliate or student who is involved in conducting research including projects within a scholarship setting.
13. Research Supervisors: any individual who is involved in managing researchers, including research staff, postdoctoral researchers, externally-based research collaborators, postgraduate research students and undergraduate and postgraduate research students.

Policy

14. The University is committed to ensuring that all research conducted by, or on behalf of, the University is conducted to the highest standards of rigour and integrity, which are:
    1. Maintaining the highest standards of rigour and integrity in all aspects of research;
    2. Ensuring that research is conducted according to appropriate ethical, legal, and professional frameworks, obligations, and standards;
    3. Supporting a research environment that is underpinned by a culture of integrity and based on good governance, best practice, and support for the development of researchers;
    4. Using transparent, robust, and fair processes to deal with allegations of research misconduct should they arise; and
    5. Working together to strengthen the integrity of research and to review progress regularly and openly.

Researchers

15. All University researchers are responsible for ensuring that their research and research conduct adheres to the principles of the UK’s Concordat to Support Research Integrity and UK Research Integrity Office’s Code of Practice for Research. 
16. All University researchers are required to:
    1. Comply with ethical, legal and professional frameworks, obligations and standards as required by statutory and regulatory authorities, and by the University, funders and other relevant stakeholders.
    2. Ensure that all their research is subject to active and appropriate consideration of research integrity, including ethical issues, data management, international collaboration and risk, from the early planning stage of research to final closure, adhering to all University policies, particularly those highlighted in the Scope of this Policy.
    3. Raise any research integrity questions or concerns with Research Faculty officers, Research Cluster Leads and/or Research Services before the research starts.
    4. Design robust and impartial research methodology to ensure reproducibility and transparency of results.
    5. Record research methods, procedures and findings (including null results) honestly, accurately, transparently and without bias, in a timely manner.
    6. Declare any conflicts of interest to all those involved in the study and Research Services immediately, and in any work (published or otherwise) resulting from it.
    7. Show care and respect to all participants in research, including the research team, collaborators, users and beneficiaries of research, research infrastructure, animals, human subjects and materials.
    8. Allow research results and methods to be openly available to the research community and the general public, adhering to the UKRI Principles of Open Research, unless the disclosure will contradict the University’s Intellectual Property Policy. 
    9. Fully acknowledge research collaborations and where research has built on, or relied on, the work of others.
    10. Adhere to Human Resources (HR) guidance regarding the hiring and supervision of research staff/students.

Research Supervisors

17. Supervisors of research, including supervisors of student projects, must ensure that their research team (including students) adheres to the principles and best practice outlined in the Research Integrity Policy.

Institution

18. The Director of Research Services has overall responsibility for managing research integrity at the University. 
19. Research Services will provide research integrity guidance, training and monitoring, in collaboration with Northeastern University’s Research Compliance. 
20. The University will be responsible for creating a collegiate, professional and well managed research environment where researchers feel empowered, knowledgeable and supported to make the right decisions with regards to research best practice.
21. Research Leaders at the University, such as Faculty Heads of Research and Research Cluster Leads, will provide peer-to-peer mentorship to the research community.
22. The University will be responsible for ensuring adherence to the regulations and requirements of funders of research.
23. Mandatory research integrity training will be provided for all staff and research students, on an annual basis, by Research Services in collaboration with Research Compliance who will assign, conduct or coordinate the relevant training.
24. The University’s Academic Board will conduct annual monitoring of research integrity and publish the findings openly on its website.
25. The University will hold researchers fully accountable for proven conduct that falls short of these principles. Accusations of misconduct are governed by the University’s Research Misconduct Policy and the University’s Public Interest Disclosure (Whistleblowing) Policy.

Contact Information

26. All research integrity enquiries by employees, associates and/or students must be made to Research Services.
27. All cases of potential research misconduct must be declared immediately to Research Integrity.

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