Research integrity matters because it allows all those involved in the research process, including funders, other researchers and those that are impacted by the findings, to be able to assess the trustworthiness of the research.
Today we have published our first annual statement, “Research Integrity in the UK: Annual Statement 2023”. It gives a snapshot of research integrity in the UK, highlighting the work already being done by others and identifying areas for further work.
We have structured our annual statement through the five key principles set out in the UK Concordat to Support Research Integrity. These are: rigour, transparency and open communication, honesty, care and respect, and accountability. As well as addressing the five principles, our statement includes a section on research misconduct.
The 2023 statement uses the most recent available evidence and our new analyses. It describes the state of the nation in a qualitative manner and provides information about the overall health of the research system. In the statement we identify several areas on which we as a Committee will prioritise in the next two years, and we suggest actions for that the research sector.
You can read our first annual statement here.
Evidence used in the statement
The statement collates evidence from a range of existing sources and new analyses. We commissioned an analysis of 283 statements on research integrity by higher education institutions, and a UK specific analysis of the 2021 International Survey on Research Integrity. The full findings of both of these are also published separately.
Analysis of HEI annual statements
SOPs4RI International Research Integrity Survey (IRIS) – Selected UK Sample Results
Case studies
The annual statement has examples of good practice to support research integrity, and we will also be publishing a series of case studies over the next year. The first two can be found here and outline senior leadership for research integrity in biomedical science, and early career involvement in ethics and integrity in the arts.