Revised UCL Statement on research Integrity 2020

The UCL Statement on Research Integrity (the ‘Statement’) was first published in May 2015, and sets out UCL’s commitment to ensuring the highest standards of integrity in all aspects of its research activities.

The Statement contains UCL’s four Principles of Integrity which were adopted in full from the 2012 Concordat to Support Research Integrity (the ‘concordat’), where they are listed as core elements to ensure research is conducted with integrity. These are honesty, rigour, open and transparent communication, and care and respect. These Principles are expected to be applied to all stages of research, regardless of discipline or level.

Revisions 

In 2019, the concordat was revised and a fifth element of ‘accountability’ was added; “accountability of funders, employers and researchers to collectively create a research environment in which individuals and organisations are empowered and enabled to own the research process. Those engaged with research must also ensure that individuals and organisations are held to account when behaviour falls short of the standards set by this concordat.”

This new element has been incorporated into the revised Statement as the Principle of ‘personal responsibility’. In doing this, the ‘accountability’ element was adapted in order to bring this in line with UCL’s expectation of personal responsibility:

• Personal responsibility for your own actions, in how you conduct your research and how you work collaboratively with others. Though everyone involved in research will have their own specific responsibilities and levels of formal accountability, every individual has a responsibility to act with integrity and to take responsibility for their own actions or inactions. 

Additional revisions were also made to incorporate the advancements made within UCL with regards to supporting researchers and a culture of research integrity since the Statement was originally published; such as the Research Integrity Training Framework.

It is expected that all staff (including honorary staff), students, visitors and collaborators are aware of and adhere to both the Code of Conduct for Research and the Statement on Research Integrity, including the Principles of Integrity.