The Research Ethics Committee at UiO (REC) received a notification expressing concern that a research fellow connected to a foreign university might have used UiO-affiliation on false premises to enhance the credibility of two scientific articles, and that she might have transferred data to the foreign university in secrecy.
REC pointed out that their mandate allows them to assess cases concerning research ethics, but not accusations regarding export control regulations.
They began by evaluating whether there had been any breach of research ethics at all, which is the first condition for scientific misconduct.
In their assessment, REC found that the research fellow’s supervisors at UiO were sufficiently informed about her previous work and the ongoing collaboration with the foreign university. This was in accordance with the ethical requirements for international research collaborations in regard to sufficient communication about the research, roles, and responsibilities.
REC further concluded that the research fellow, who was employed at UiO when she contributed to the articles in question, had rightfully used the university’s address in compliance with the relevant guidelines for affiliation.
The committee concluded that there were no breaches of recognized research ethical guidelines or indications of systemic failures in this case. The conclusion was unanimous.
References
- The Norwegian Research Ethics Act (2017) Sections 6 and 8
- The Public Administration Act (1967) Section 6
- All European Academies (ALLEA): European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity (2023)
- Singapore Statement on Research Integrity (2010)
- The Montreal Statement on Research Integrity in Cross-Boundary Research Collaborations (2013)
- Standard for Research Integrity at UiO (2021)
- UiO’s Affiliation Instructions and Guidelines for Different Groups (2015)
- Guidelines for the processing of cases of possible violations of recognized norms in research ethics at UiO (2023)
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