Research
     

Researcher awareness and engagement with research integrity

Developing an 'extensible' framework

Research integrity is an area of increasing importance and yet one that seems to challenge those who have the responsibility for implementing it in higher education institutions (HEIs). This challenge stems from two difficulties:

  • the complexity of the issues that are bound up with research integrity
  • the reluctance of researchers to engage with these issues and the consequent problems associated with effectively engaging researchers in training.

This collaborative project will gather data on the current state of awareness and the development of research integrity in training programmes across the UK HEI sector to design training events, materials and resources for more effective embedding of research integrity training into research training programme provision. We will also try to find practical ways in which engagement with integrity training can be improved.

This will involve a range of HEI staff and students who have a stake in dealing with research integrity in their institutions, whether research trainers, administrators, staff developers, academic staff, or research students. Participation involves taking part in one of six regional focus groups and two larger national events. Details for these events will appear on this page when confirmed.

Participation involves discussion of a range of topics related to researchers’ awareness and engagement. Over the course of the project we expect the scope and depth of the topics to change and be adapted and/or expanded through the input and active collaboration of focus group participants. Initially, topics include:

  • institutional resistance
  • the effect of the 'impact agenda', third-stream work, and other partnership activities involving HEIs
  • reputational risk
  • training design/development
  • the embedding of integrity in HEIs
  • support and commitment of senior management to integrity-related issues.

In addition to the obvious benefits to both staff and HEI institutions, there is also considerable interest in using evidence and insights gained from this project in a published form. Details of outputs will also appear on this page in the future.

For further information please contact the co-investigators on the project:
Dr Fiona Denney (King's College London) | E: fiona.denney@kcl.ac.uk
Dr Andrew Rawnsley (Teesside University) | E: a.rawnsley@tees.ac.uk