Misconduct in research

How reports about misconduct in research are handled

From 1 January 2020, issues of deviations from good research practice are regulated by the Act (2019:504) on responsibility for good research practice and the investigation of misconduct in research. According to the new act, reports of misconduct in research (FFP – fabrication, falsification and plagiarism) are to be investigated by a special national committee, the Committee for the Examination of Research Misconduct (Npof). The committee is located in Uppsala, in the premises of the Swedish Ethics Review Authority.

Uppsala University has a Committee for the Examination of Deviations from Good Research Practice, NUAF. The committee supports the vice-chancellor in matters relating to, among other things, deviations from good research practice and in deciding which reports of misconduct should be submitted to the national committee. It also investigates other deviation from good research practice than FFP.

All complaints are investigated until it is determined that they clearly deal with something else or are clearly unfounded. In that case, the Vice-Chancellor decides not to investigate, based on presentation of a written report by the Chair of the Board.

The work is guided by Guidelines on the procedure in the event of suspected deviations from good research practice (UFV 2019/1612)