Supplementary written evidence submitted
by the Research Councils UK (PR 67a)
PEER REVIEW ORAL EVIDENCE SESSION HELD ON
8 JUNE 2011
1. This supplementary memorandum is submitted,
at the request of the Committee, in support of previously submitted
written evidence by RCUK and represents its independent views.
It does not include, or necessarily reflect the views of the Knowledge
and Innovation Group in the Department for Business, Innovation
and Skills (BIS).
2. In July 2010 RCUK wrote to organisations represented
on the Research Integrity Futures Working Group to share the final
decision of the RCUK Executive Group (RCUKEG) regarding the recommendations
made in the Working Group report. One of the strands of activity
proposed by RCUK, in discussion with UUK and HEFCE, was the idea
of a "Concordat" style document setting out principles
on research integrity to which research funders can all sign up.
3. Research funders have a range of priorities
and perspectives, but there are a number of core principles upon
which most funders would agree. It was considered that a concordat
would be useful to set out for the community these shared views,
perspectives and expectations. RCUK, together with all funders,
recognises the importance of this agenda and the concordat is
just one strand of work being taken forward in this area.
4. Since then, Universities UK (UUK) has taken
the lead on work in this area, working closely with RCUK, the
UK Funding Councils, the Wellcome Trust and the Department of
Health. UUK is the representative organisation for the UK's universities
and is also not a funder of research itself, which makes it the
ideal organisation to lead on the development of this Concordat
from a neutral and informed position.
5. UUK is planning a discussion to decide details
of the Concordat to take place during the next few months. Depending
on progress made by UUK, RCUK is hopeful that a working draft
will be produced by late autumn. Once a working draft is in place,
funders will be invited to sign up to the Concordat and agree
to abide by the principles set out within. Following this, UUK
will lead on developing a mechanism for implementation.
6. The Concordat is separate from the work of
the new UK Research Integrity Office Ltd (UKRIO), which is an
independent company limited by guarantee offering an advice and
guidance service.[15]
The Concordat will, however, be designed to be complementary to
the various documents produced by not only UKRIO in its previous
incarnation but other bodies which produce guidance and codes
of practice for research integrity.
June 2011
15 http://www.ukrio.org/resources/Relocation%20of%20the%20UK%20Research%20Integrity%20Office%2006-12-10.pdf Back
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