Responsibility for good research practice at Stockholm University

Everyone has an individual responsibility for good research practice, while the University has the overall responsibility. Some roles and functions entail a special responsibility. Furthermore, the University offers support concerning these matters.

Everyone has a responsibility for good research practice

Everyone at Stockholm University has a responsibility for good research practice. Each researcher is responsible for following good research practice in their research and everybody at Stockholm University is obliged to stay informed about and follow applicable rules and guidelines within the research integrity and ethics area.
Taking one’s individual responsibility includes:

• continuously acquiring/participating in information/training in good research practice when this is offered
• keeping up to date with relevant rules, guidelines, governing and policy documents in the research integrity and ethics area
• acting responsibly and following relevant applicable rules and guidelines within the research integrity and ethics area, including internal governing documents and decisions
• contributing to a good research and working environment and to collegial discussions about research integrity and ethics questions
• when necessary, seeking advice and support concerning good research practice.

Stockholm University as an organisation has the overall responsibility

The University has the overall responsibility for ensuring that research carried out within the operations of the University is conducted in accordance with good research practice and that scientific credibility and good research practice are safeguarded. This involves striving for a high level of awareness and knowledge of good research practice, as well as a good research and working environment characterized by openness and respect.

The overall responsibility entails ensuring that:

• all who carry out research or participate in research or similar activities are given sufficient and continuous information and training in good research practice and regulations in force, as well as other resources required in order for them to be able to fulfil their individual responsibility (see above) and the particular responsibility which comes with specific roles (see below)
• there are clear internal governing documents within the research integrity and ethics area
• there are adequate structures for promoting good research practice, including compliance in the research integrity and ethics area (this comprises structures for support, control and follow-up).

Some roles and functions entail a special responsibility

Some roles and functions entail a special responsibility for good research practice.

Heads of department (or equivalent) have an overall responsibility for ensuring that research at the department or equivalent is carried out in accordance with good research practice. This includes a responsibility for creating good research environments, providing everybody at the department with favourable conditions for fulfilling their individual responsibility (for instance by making sure that everybody is offered information, training, advice and support in matters concerning good research practice), and rectifying potential organizational deficiencies which may lead to insufficient compliance.

Heads of department (or equivalent) are also responsible for taking measures to prevent research which requires approval from the Swedish Ethical Review Authority in accordance with the Ethical Review Act from being carried out without such approval or in conflict with conditions communicated in connection with such approval (read more about ethical review of research involving humans here). Heads of department or equivalent represent the University vis-à-vis the Swedish Ethical Review Authority and the Ethics Review Appeals Board.

Deans have an overall responsibility to ensure that research at the faculty is carried out in accordance with good research practice. Consequently, they are responsible for ensuring that the heads of department (or equivalent) have the authority, competence and resources necessary to fulfil their overall responsibility. The President in turn is responsible for ensuring that the deans have sufficient authority, competence and resources necessary to fulfil their overall responsibility.

Teachers and researchers who supervise doctoral students/students whose work include research or similar activities have a special responsibility to inform them about regulations, guidelines and governing and support documents, as well as to ensure that they participate in training about good research practice. The role of the supervisor also includes contributing to creating good environments and to provide the doctoral students/students with guidance on matters concerning good research practice. The doctoral students/students in turn have an individual responsibility to acquire such information and training, and to follow the instructions given by the supervisor, so long as this does not entail deviations from good research practice.

The responsibilities of the University’s License holder for animal experiments involve ensuring that activities involving animal experiments are given sufficient personnel and resources to be carried out in accordance with applicable regulatory provisions. The researcher who is responsible for carrying out an animal experiment also has to make sure there is an ethical approval, that the experiment is done in accordance with this approval and that all unnecessary suffering is prevented.

Learn more

You can learn more about good research practice by reading our webpage on good research practice. There, you will also find links to other relevant material. In addition, you should acquaint yourself with the University’s research integrity and ethics policy. A key document which the policy relies on and which is of central importance for researchers at Stockholm University is The European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity , published by All European Academies 2017. A revised version of the code was published in 2023. The ethics support function at the Office for Research, Engagement and Innovation Services offers digital workshops on this code for departments, research groups or others who want to learn more about the code and how its principles can be implemented in different areas of research. You can find more information about the workshop here.

Workshop on the European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity (the ALLEA code)

The European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity presents fundamental principles for good research practice, describes good research practices within a number of areas as well as research misconduct and other deviations from good research practice. The Office for Research, Engagement and Innovation Services offers digital workshops on the code.

The European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity, often called “the ALLEA code”, was published by All European Universities (ALLEA) in 2017 and revised in 2023. The code has become of central importance, which is also highlighted in Stockholm University’s research integrity and ethics policy which was adopted in early 2021.

Digital workshop

It is important that everyone at Stockholm University who conducts or participates in research is familiar with the fundamental principles presented in the code, and understands how these are to be applied in one’s area of research. To facilitate this, the ethics support function at the Office for Research, Engagement and Innovation Services offers a digital workshop that can be given in departments, to research or doctoral student groups or in other contexts.

The workshop can be adapted to needs and preferences, but in its basic setup it is constituted by short presentations, interactive elements and discussions aimed go give a basic introduction to the contents of the code and how the code can be implemented in one’s own area of research. Participants are also given a preparatory assignment to hand in before the workshop. It its basic setup, the workshop takes 3,5 hours.

The European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity

An important document that the policy is based on, and which is of central importance for researchers at Stockholm University, is The European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity, published by All European Academies in 2017. A revised version of the code was released in 2023.

The Ethics Support function offers digital workshops on this code for departments, research groups, and others who want to learn more about the code and how its principles are applied in different research areas.

The European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity (pdf)

Revised version of The European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity

Support is available

As a researcher you can turn to the ethics support function at the Office for Research, Engagement and Innovation Services if you have questions or concerns relating to research integrity and ethics or about how to take your responsibility for good research practice. For example, concerning questions about ethical review, ethics guidelines, deviations from good research practice or other aspects of research integrity and ethics.

Support on matters relating to animal welfare is the responsibility of the University’s animal welfare body, and the Licence holder office is responsible for information to researchers.

If you have questions concerning animal experiments at Stockholm University, please contact Tillståndshavarkansliet.