New Netherlands Code of Conduct for Research Integrity
Today sees the launch of the new version of the Netherlands Code of Conduct for Research Integrity. This new version revises and expands on the code of conduct first introduced in 2004, reflecting international developments in the field of academic integrity that have taken place since then. Developed by the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Netherlands Federation of University Medical Centres (NFU), Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), Associated Applied Research Institutes (TO2), Netherlands Association of Universities of Applied Sciences (VH), and the Association of Universities in the Netherlands (VSNU), it will take effect on 1 October 2018.
Tim van der Hagen, TU Delft Rector Magnificus / President of the Executive Board stresses the importance of the code which provides researchers with standards to guide their day-to-day activities in practice. “It also remains crucial that we continue to talk about the dilemmas we face in our work.
Striking elements
Compared with the previous version, a number of striking elements of the new Code of Conduct are as follows:
* The new Code of Conduct is written in such a way that it can apply to both public and public-private scientific and scholarly research in the Netherlands.
* The Code of Conduct specifically allows for collaboration and multidisciplinary approaches, as it takes into account the differences between different institutions. The Code of Conduct defines five principles of research integrity and 61 standards for good research practices and duties of care for the institutions.
* The institutions’ duties of care are new additions to this Code of Conduct. With these, the research organizations show that they are responsible for providing a working environment that promotes and safeguards good research practices. * Moreover, the new Code of Conduct for Research Integrity distinguishes between research misconduct, questionable research practices, and minor shortcomings.
* The final chapter describes how an institution must address potential research misconduct.
* On the one hand, the Code of Conduct grants institutions adequate scope to deliver a balanced verdict regarding potential research misconduct, while on the other hand it explicitly states the criteria that play a role in such a scenario. The final point clearly shows how the Code of Conduct should be viewed: as a helping hand that researchers and institutions can and will apply themselves.
Integrity Policy TU Delft
Next to this Code of Conduct for Research Integrity TU Delft has a Integrity Policy with a Code of Ethics, several regulations and committees to support students and staff. Early this year the Executive Board established a Committee Reassessment Integrity Policy. The task of this committee is to propose a ‘TU Delft Vision on Integrity 2018-2024’, that acts as an integral ‘work programme’ integrity as a follow-up to the TU Delft Strategic Framework.
More information
Code of Conduct for Research Integrity.
<link en about-tu-delft strategy strategy-documents-tu-delft integrity-policy _blank>Integrity Policy