Welcome to the website of the UK Research Integrity Office.
The UK Research Integrity Office (UKRIO) is an independent body which offers advice and guidance to universities and other research organisations, and also to individual researchers, about the conduct of research.
Hosted by Universities UK, our aims are to:
- promote the good governance, management and conduct of research;
- share good practice on how to address misconduct in research; and
- give advice and guidance on specific cases.
Although our formal remit is to provide support to the health and biomedical sciences research community, since our inception we have given advice and guidance to universities, NHS institutions, other research organisations and individual researchers across all subject areas.
All requests for advice are kept confidential and we welcome enquiries from individual researchers as well as from research organisations. A leaflet describing the work of UKRIO is available here and details on how to contact us can be found here.
UKRIO is guided by its Board, whose Members are nominated by the organisations which regulate and fund health and biomedical research. Chaired by Professor Sir Ian Kennedy, the Board guides UKRIO's programme of work. Biographies of the Board Members can be found here.
UKRIO is part of the UK Panel for Research Integrity in Health and Biomedical Sciences, which consists of the UK Research Integrity Office, our Board and our Register of Advisers.
Recent News
Consultation on UKRIO's draft Code of Practice for Research: Promoting good practice and prevent misconduct
UKRIO has produced a draft Code of Practice for Research. May we invite you to submit your views on the draft document and how you might make use of it in your organisation. The Code forms part of UKRIO's ongoing work to support researchers and research organisations in the promotion of good practice in research.
The Code of Practice for Research is a reference tool for research organisations to use when revising their codes of practice for research. It complements existing and forthcoming guidance on research conduct, such as that provided by Research Councils UK, the Wellcome Trust and the Council for Science and Technology.
The Code has been designed to encourage good conduct in research and help prevent misconduct. It provides general principles and standards for good practice in research, applicable to both individual researchers and to organisations that conduct, fund, host, or are otherwise involved in research. It also includes a one-page Recommended Checklist for Researchers: a non-technical checklist summarising the key points of good practice in research, based upon the more detailed standards provided in the Code.
The Code is applicable to all subject areas and does not attempt to micro-manage research.
Recognising that some organisations have developed their own guidance, the intention is that research organisations can use the principles and standards outlined as benchmarks when drafting or revising their own, more detailed, codes of practice. Use of the benchmarks contained in the Code can assist research organisations in fulfilling the requirements of regulatory, funding and other relevant bodies.
We would value your comments on the draft Code of Practice. Page two of the document lists the questions which UKRIO would like you to consider and describes how to respond to the consultation.
We ask that you submit any comments on the Code by 31st May 2009.
Cover letter for the consultation
UKRIO Code of Practice for Research - public consultation document
Research Integrity Training
Following the launch of our Procedure for the Investigation of Misconduct in Research, King's College London will be running training in implementing the Procedure and fostering good practice in research.
The two-day course features speakers who have responsibility for fostering good practice in research and investigating misconduct in research with Higher Education Institutions and representatives from UKRIO. Training will include a variety of case studies, practitioners relating their own experiences, and opportunities for delegates to share experiences and consider how research integrity is best supported in different contexts.
Places for the June 2009 course are still available. Delegates are able to attend one or both days according to their needs or can sign up for the stand-alone specialist session which will focus on a different topic relevant to research integrity each time the course is run. For further information, visit the King's College website.
UKRIO's Procedure for the Investigation of Misconduct in Research
In September 2008, UKRIO launched its Procedure for the Investigation of Misconduct in Research.
This step-by-step Procedure is aimed at all organisations engaged in research using funds from funders such as the Research Councils and other government bodies, as well as from charities, overseas funding bodies and the commercial sector. It sets out an approach to be followed from the first receipt of an allegation through to the investigation panel which will conclude whether the alleged misconduct occurred. The Procedure describes the issues that can arise in the course of an investigation, especially with complex allegations, and how to address them.
The Procedure is designed to ensure that investigations are carried out both thoroughly and fairly. It works with existing institutional processes such as disciplinary and grievance procedures and does not replace them.
Research organisations can adopt the Procedure for use when investigating allegations of misconduct in research or use it as a reference tool when revising their existing processes to address misconduct. UKRIO is happy to provide advice and assistance to institutions on the adoption and use of the Procedure and on the general revision of polices and systems to address misconduct.
Adoption of the Procedure is strictly voluntary as UKRIO is an advisory body and not an organisation with regulatory powers; however, we encourage research organisations to use the Procedure as part of their policies and systems for the promotion of good practice and integrity in research. Through the widespread adoption and consistent use of the Procedure, it is anticipated that investigations into allegations of misconduct in research carried out by universities and other organisations will be conducted to the standards of objectivity, rigour and fairness set out in the publication.
Further details on the Procedure can be found here and a PDF version of the publication can be downloaded here.
UKRIO would welcome feedback on the Procedure, its adoption by research organisations and its use in investigating allegations of misconduct. Details on how to contact us can be found here.
