Research Integrity and Good Research Practice
It is of the highest importance to uphold academic credibility and good research practice and this is viewed as a central part of the research process at Örebro University. Research is conducted in numerous subject areas at the university and often different parts of Swedish legislation are applicable together with subject-dependant research ethics questions.
What unites everyone within the research community is the responsibility to protect the integrity of research and within Europe principles have been established by the organisation All European Academies (ALLEA). In their publication The European Code of Conduct for Research integrity ALLEA states the following four fundamental principles:
- Reliability in safeguarding the quality of the research, which is reflected in the design, method, analysis and use of resources.
- Honesty in developing, implementing and scrutinising research, and in reporting and informing others about research in an open, fair, complete and objective way.
- Respect for colleagues, research participants, society, ecosystems, cultural heritage and the environment.
- Accountability for research from idea to publication, for management and organisation, for education, supervision and mentorship, and for their wider consequences.
At Örebro University there is a Research Ethics Council and an Animal Welfare Advisory Body.
Ethical review
If the research requires a permit according to the Act (SFS 2003:460) concerning the Ethical Review of Research Involving Humans, the application must be sent to Sweden's Ethical Review Authority (Etikprövningsmyndigheten). For now they have one guide in English on how to apply for ethical approval (see below), but note that the application must be written in Swedish.
Below are links to internal resources and external organisations and government bodies which handle questions concerning research ethics.