Misconduct in research

How reports about misconduct in research are handled

When the University receives a report of misconduct, the Vice-Chancellor is notified, and the Vice-Chancellor refers the report to the Board for Investigation of Misconduct in Research.

  1. The accused researcher is informed and an inquiry begins. A reporting officer on the Board is appointed.
  2. The researcher is offered an opportunity to comment.
  3. The Board may obtain the opinions of experts, of which at least one is to be from another higher education institution. The expert’s task is to analyse certain specific issues that are important to the inquiry. During the process, additional documentation may be requested.
  4. The University may, if necessary, seek the opinion of the Central Ethical Review Board, but is always to do so if the person making the allegation or the person being accused desires it and it is not obviously unnecessary.
  5. When the experts have made their assessment, the accused individual is to be given an opportunity to comment on the assessment.
  6. When the inquiry is completed, the Board writes a statement of opinion for the Vice-Chancellor, who makes the final decision.
  7. If the allegations are confirmed, the Vice-Chancellor then decides on a process for possible penalties and disciplinary measures.
  8. If the study has been published, the publication concerned and any funding agency are contacted.

This applies to reports of misconduct in research received by Uppsala University beginning on 1 January 2017. The report and decisions on cases of suspected misconduct in research are public documents.

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.

Uppsala University’s regulations for the procedure to report misconduct in research (UFV 2016/1079).

Persons who can assist with support regarding good research practice and ethical review for department officials and researchers:

From 1 January 2020, issues of research misconduct will be regulated by the Act (2019:504) on responsibility for good research practice and review of research misconduct. According to the new law, reports of research misconduct (FFP - fabrication, falsification and plagiarism) will be investigated by a special national board, the Board for the Review of Research Misconduct (Nämnden för prövning av oredlighet i forskning). The Board is located in Uppsala, on the premises of the Ethics Review Authority.Uppsala University now has a Board for the Investigation of Deviations from Good Research Practice, NUAF. The committee supports the Vice-Chancellor in matters concerning, among other things, deviations from good research practice and in deciding which reports of misconduct should be submitted to the national committee. In light of the new law, the University has introduced guidelines to ensure the University's compliance with the new provisions, UFV 2019/1612.

Contact

According to the guidelines, NUAF should be supported by an official of the university administration, currently staff from the legal department.

To get in touch with NUAF, you can send a message to: nuaf@uu.se

FOLLOW UPPSALA UNIVERSITY ON

facebook
instagram
twitter
youtube
linkedin