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.
- The accused researcher is informed and an inquiry begins. A reporting officer on the Board is appointed.
- The researcher is offered an opportunity to comment.
- 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.
- 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.
- When the experts have made their assessment, the accused individual is to be given an opportunity to comment on the assessment.
- When the inquiry is completed, the Board writes a statement of opinion for the Vice-Chancellor, who makes the final decision.
- If the allegations are confirmed, the Vice-Chancellor then decides on a process for possible penalties and disciplinary measures.
- 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).
Confidants (‘trusted persons’) for good research practice at Uppsala University
Persons who can assist with support regarding good research practice and ethical review for department officials and researchers:
- Medicine and Pharmacy: Gunilla Westermark gunilla.westermark@mcb.uu.se
- Humanities and Social Sciences: Andreas Önver Cetrez onver.cetrez@teol.uu.se and Emma von Essen emma.von.essen@uu.se
- Sciences and Technology: Iordanis Kavathatzopoulos iordanis.kavathatzopoulos@it.uu.se and Reihaneh Dehghani reihaneh.dehghani@uadm.uu.se
Units that can help you with questions about research ethics
- For questions about research ethics rules and guidelines, contact Codex.
- For questions about personal data processing, email the Data Protection Officer at dataskyddsombud@uu.se.
- For legal support, contact the Legal Affairs Division.
- For lectures or classes in research ethics, contact Centre for research ethics & bioethics.
- For assistance with ethical issues with larger organizational funding proposals from Uppsala University (as regarding national infrastructures or international collaborations), contact Anne-Sophie Fröjmark, at the research support division.
- For strategic issues relating to good research practice, contact the Advisor to the Vice-Chancellor Stefan Eriksson.
- For ethical and legal issues in biobanking, contact Biobank Sweden.
- Questions on handling research data can be addressed to Uppsala University's Data Office
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