Good Research & Innovation Practices - Supporting Research Excellence
Achieving excellence in research and innovation (R&I) requires that good principles and practices are consistently upheld - excellence requires intellect and integrity.
Integrity is about:
- how R&I activities are undertaken from start to finish in order to ensure the accuracy and credibility of data and results - Rigour throughout the research project journey;
- due care for the lives of others or living things that are involved in or affected by the activities - Respect.
Sir David King, as Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK Government, summarised integrity as a combination of RIGOUR, RESPECT and RESPONSIBILITY. Excellence relies on a combination of attributes, including creativity, curiosity, respect, honesty, passion, rigour, critical reflection, persistence, resourcefulness, the ability to communicate and collaborate, and responsibility.
Why foster good research and innovation practices?
- Further enhance quality - support excellence.
- Uphold standards.
- Heighten risk awareness.
As activities increase in complexity (for example interdisciplinary projects, international collaborations) collaborators need to have a shared understanding of acceptable principles and practices. As a researcher's career progresses and responsibilities increase (taking on supervision, management of people, projects and resources, and leadership positions) a clear understanding of what is meant by good R&I principles and practices, and an ability to promote them, is vital. All researchers need to be able to robustly justify their R&I practices.
The University's 3 Fundamental Principles governing R&I activities:
- The reputation, value amd public benefit of the University's R&I depends on its integrity.
- The University trusts its staff and students to practise R&I with integrity and actively seeks to sustain a research environment that fosters integrity in R&I.
- Deliberate, dangerous or negligent deviations from good R&I practises are a violation of the University's 'Good Research and Innovation Practices Policy'; as such they are breaches of the University's employment terms and conditions and the Student Discipline Regulations.