Report breaches of research ethical standards – Anonymous

All researchers have a duty of care and must adhere to recognized research ethical standards and principles. If you believe someone may have breached these standards, you can report it here.

Information about case management:
The information provided is sent encrypted to the Department of Personnel and Organisation and is processed confidentially. Depending on the issues involved, the information may be disclosed to the person who is the subject of the whistleblowing.

The requirement for academic integrity is mentioned in both the University and College Act and the Research Ethics Act. The law obliges the University of South-Eastern Norway (USN) to ensure that research at the institution is conducted in accordance with recognized research ethical norms, cf. Research Ethics Act § 5.

The research ethical standards are developed by and for the research community, and are laid down in national, international, and discipline-specific guidelines.

Here you will find the national research ethical guidelines, and here is The European Code of Conduct.

USN is legally required to have internal procedures for handling cases of possible breaches of research ethics. These are described in the Guidelines for Handling Cases of Possible Breaches of Recognized Research Ethical Standards at the University of South-Eastern Norway. Here you will find information about the Integrity Committee, its composition, and mandate.

Who can report?

Anyone can report. It is in everyone's interest that an employee, student, external collaborator/researcher, organization, research participant, or others who have witnessed or discovered possible unethical or questionable practices in research, report this.

Who can be reported against?

The Research Ethics Act applies to researchers and research in Norway, cf. § 2. This means that, for example, reports can be made against:

  • Employees at USN
  • Candidates who are pursuing or have completed a doctorate at USN
  • Researchers who have a significant funding relationship with USN

When and how to report?

As a general rule, ethical issues should be attempted to be resolved at the earliest possible stage and at the lowest organizational level possible, for example by discussing the matter with the person concerned or raising it within the research community. It is also possible to seek advice from the research ethics advisor at AFI via forskningsetikk@usn.no. It is not always possible or appropriate to resolve cases at such a level, and the matter can then be reported.

It is possible to report anonymously via USN's Si ifra-portal. Anonymous reporting means that the identity of the reporter is not known to USN. Note that an anonymous report may give USN limited opportunities to follow up and investigate the matter.

A notification will normally first be reviewed and assessed by the dean before cases involving possible serious breaches are forwarded to the Vice-Rector and the Integrity Committee. The case may also be reported directly to the Research Integrity Committee if deemed necessary. This is done by specifying in the form that the case is to be submitted directly to the Research Integrity Committee. In such cases, include a justification for why this is considered necessary, so that the Integrity Committee can decide whether to handle the case directly or return it to the institution for an assessment.

What should the report contain?

To facilitate case processing and investigation, the report should contain information about:

  • What has happened (specifically) and in what way it is a breach of research ethical guidelines.
  • Who is involved.
  • How the reporter is possibly affected by the alleged breach.
  • When the incident(s) took place.
  • Relevant documentation, e.g., manuscripts, articles, witness lists, emails, or author declarations.

Here are the Guidelines for Handling Cases of Possible Breaches of Recognized Research Ethical Standards at the University of South-Eastern Norway. Here is a link to the Integrity Committee with more information about its composition and mandate. Here you will find the national research ethical guidelines, and here is The European Code of Conduct.

infoBriefly describe what the inquiry is about.
infoName, position, faculty

infoName, position, faculty, telephone number, email

It is important to note that person(s) one is notifying about will be informed possible breach of research ethical standards, as well as superiors, and others who will participate in the processing of the case. During the processing, the case is exempt from public disclosure, but when it is completed, it may become public depending on the case's conclusion. If the case, for example, concludes that a breach of research ethical standards has taken place, any statement from USN or the Integrity Committee will be public.

The institution must ensure that the reporter of such a possible breach is not subjected to reprisals.
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