UK higher education Research Culture and research-related concordats

We strongly endorse the need to cultivate and promote a supportive and inclusive research culture in the higher education institutions (HEIs) and other research performing organisations, and we are signatories to the:

• Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers;
• Concordat for Research Integrity;
• Concordat for Engaging the Public with Research;

and a supporter of the Concordat for Environmental Sustainability in Research & Innovation Sector.

These Concordats outline key expectations and responsibilities of both funders of research and those working in research performing organisations. Further information on each of the Concordats is provided below.

Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers

This Concordat aims to increase the attractiveness and sustainability of research careers in the UK and to improve the quantity, quality and impact of research for the benefit of UK society and the economy. It sets out three clear principles of environment and culture, employment, and professional and career development. The principles are underpinned by obligations for the four key stakeholder groups: funders, research performing institutions, researchers, and managers of researchers, to realise the aims of the Concordat.

As a signatory of the Concordat the Department has publicly committed to implement the Concordat principles, and reviews its compliance and submits an annual report on how we, as a funding organisation, endeavour to support positive and inclusive research environments in the Northern Ireland HEIs. Any further actions identified are published as an action plan.

• DfE Annual Report for the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers 2024

Concordat to Support Research Integrity

This Concordat is a national framework for good research conduct and its governance and asks universities, funders, research institutes and individual researchers to commit to ensuring their work is underpinned by the highest standards of integrity. 

The concordat outlines five important commitments that those engaged in research can make to help ensure that the highest standards of rigour and integrity are maintained. It also makes a clear statement about the responsibilities of researchers, employers and funders in ensuring that research is conducted according to appropriate ethical, legal and professional frameworks, obligations and standards.

Raising Concerns on Research Misconduct

Research misconduct constitutes the behaviours and deliberate actions that fall short of the principles in commitment one of the Concordat to Support Research Integrity, occurring at any point in the research lifecycle. This includes behaviours associated with the ideation of research proposals, reviewing the work of others, and the reporting of research findings.

Research misconduct can take many forms, including:

• fabrication: making up results, other outputs (for example, artefacts) or aspects of research, including documentation and participant consent, and presenting and/or recording them as if they were real

• falsification: inappropriately manipulating and/or selecting research processes, materials, equipment, data, imagery and/or consents

• plagiarism: using other people’s ideas, intellectual property or work (written or otherwise) without acknowledgement or permission

• failure to meet: legal, ethical and professional obligations, for example:

• not observing legal, ethical and other requirements for human research participants, animal subjects, or human organs or tissue used in research, or for the protection of the environment
• breach of duty of care for humans involved in research whether deliberately, recklessly or by gross negligence, including failure to obtain appropriate informed consent
• misuse of personal data, including inappropriate disclosures of the identity of research participants and other breaches of confidentiality
• improper conduct in peer review of research proposals, results or manuscripts submitted for publication. This includes failure to disclose conflicts of interest; inadequate disclosure of clearly limited competence; misappropriation of the content of material; and breach of confidentiality or abuse of material provided in confidence for the purposes of peer review

• misrepresentation of:

• data, including suppression of relevant results/data or knowingly, recklessly or by gross negligence presenting a flawed interpretation of data
• involvement, including inappropriate claims to authorship or attribution of work and denial of authorship/attribution to persons who have made an appropriate contribution
• interests, including failure to declare competing interests of researchers or funders of a study
• qualifications, experience and/or credentials
• publication history, through undisclosed duplication of publication, including undisclosed duplicate submission of manuscripts for publication

Concerns on research misconduct should be raised in the first place with the HEIs who, if required, also have policies and processes in place in order to foster a supportive whistleblowing environment.

QUB Whistleblowing Policy

Ulster University Whistle Blowing Policy

If this would be difficult for any reason, concerns on research misconduct may be raised with the DfE Speak-Up Champion or Fraud and Raising Concerns Branch using the contact details below.

raising.concerns@economy-ni.gov.uk

Further details on how the Department will deal with your concern and more advice and guidance on raising a concern is available at

Raising Concerns guidance | Department for the Economy (economy-ni.gov.uk)

Further information

The senior role responsible for oversight of research integrity is the Director for Higher Education.

The first point of contact for research integrity matters is DfE HE Research Policy Branch: Research.Branch@economy-ni.gov.uk

Concordat for Engaging the Public with Research

This Concordat outlines the expectations and responsibilities of research funders, such as the department, with respect to public engagement, to help embed public engagement in universities and research institutes. This will enhance the future of research and benefit the UK society and economy.

Concordat for Environmental Sustainability in Research & Innovation Sector

This Concordat aims to ensure research and innovation continues to play a critical part in understanding how our planet is changing, while helping the sector to act responsibly to protect and promote our environment.

The Department, as a supporter of the Concordat, agrees with the aims and many of the priority areas included in the Concordat.

NI Research Professionals Network

The Department also actively participates in the Research Professionals Network in NI. This network, led by Queen’s University Belfast in partnership with Ulster University, complements existing UK and all-Ireland networks with the aim of bringing together research and innovation professionals in Northern Ireland to make connections and build networks, offering opportunities to enhance collaboration and partnership, and collectively discuss and address shared challenges for the research and innovation ecosystem in Northern Ireland.

DfE officials are represented on the Steering Board and the Advisory Group of the wider Research Culture NI initiative, of which the Network is a part, alongside key stakeholders from academia, government, research performing organisations, industry and other groups.  The initiative aims to foster collaboration across the research and innovation community, building a cohesive, inclusive and vibrant research and innovation ecosystem in Northern Ireland.