UK Research Integrity Office (UKRIO)
Founding year
2006
History
The UK Research Integrity Office (UKRIO) is an independent charity which works closely with the research community to ensure UK research is produced to the highest integrity, quality and efficacy. It offers support to the public, researchers and organisations to further good practice in academic, scientific and medical research.
Established in 2006, UKRIO is the UK’s most experienced research integrity organisation and provides independent, expert and confidential support across all disciplines of research, from the arts and humanities to the life sciences. UKRIO covers all research sectors: higher education, the NHS, private sector organisations and charities. No other organisation in the UK has comparable expertise in providing such support in the field of research integrity.
Organisations involved in research can choose to subscribe to UKRIO and receive additional, long-term support and services. UKRIO does not provide a ‘one-size-fits-all’ service to our subscribers but tailor our activities to their particular needs. As well as the practical benefits, subscribing to UKRIO allows institutions to signal their commitment to support integrity and high ethical standards in their research.
Currently 127 research organisations subscribe to UKRIO, including higher education institutions, independent research institutes, Government bodies, charities and social enterprises, learned societies, and research organisations outside the UK.
ENRIO member since
Structure
UKRIO is a registered charity under UK law and consists of four elements. It is overseen by a Board of Trustees, while UKRIO’s Office Team carries out the charity’s programme of work to support UK research. The Office Team and Trustees are supported by expert advice from an Advisory Council and an Advisory Community of volunteers.
Our role and remit: UKRIO is not a regulatory body and has no formal legal powers. UKRIO fills gaps between jurisdictions, where no overall regulation might apply, and helps to direct researchers, organisations and the public to regulatory bodies when issues fall within their jurisdiction.
We help institutions achieve high standards when they have to manage challenges to research integrity and support individuals faced with bad practice. Our advice and guidance emphasises the good practice that runs across all research disciplines and all regulatory remits. In this way our role complements that of regulatory bodies for research and supports the work of the UK Government and research funders.
Further information on our role and remit can be found on our website under Guidelines for Seeking Advice.
Main Tasks
UKRIO’s vision is that through its activities, the UK research community is supported to produce work of the highest integrity, quality and efficacy. UKRIO pursues its vision in three ways:
- Education via guidance publications on research practice, training activities and comprehensive events programme.
- Sharing best practice within the community by thought leadership, facilitating discussions about key issues, informing national and international initiatives, and working to improve research culture.
- Giving confidential expert guidance in response to requests for assistance.
UKRIO works closely with the research community to understand the fundamental challenges it faces. It provides services and guidance tailored to senior leadership teams, researchers, administrators, professional services staff, technicians, research students and more. UKRIO generates outputs cutting across all disciplines of research, with a focus on practical and non-burdensome support and publications.
UKRIO welcomes enquiries on any issues relating to the conduct of research, whether promoting good research practice, seeking help with a particular research project, responding to allegations of fraud and misconduct, or improving research culture and systems.
Investigation
UKRIO provides publications/ resources, education and training, events, advice and guidance, and thought leadership promoting research integrity and a healthy research culture, to prevent research misconduct and encourage early reporting and investigation of concerns.
UKRIO’s publications include a Procedure for the Investigation of Misconduct in Research, as well as many other resources on research misconduct.
UKRIO’s Advisory Service provide confidential and expert guidance on research integrity, including advice for people who have concerns about alleged misconduct; for people who have been accused of research misconduct; and for institutions who, under the UK system, are responsible for carrying out investigations of organisations of research misconduct. UKRIO’s advice for organisations includes guidance on the creation and revision of policies and systems for the investigation of allegations; advice on how to conduct investigations; and advice on actions which must be taken following the completion of investigations.
UKRIO does not conduct investigations of research misconduct or other concerns/ allegations. The role of UKRIO is as an advisory body. It is not a regulatory organisation and has no formal legal powers. UKRIO fills gaps between jurisdictions, where no overall regulation might apply, and helps to direct researchers, organisations and the public to regulatory bodies when issues fall within their jurisdiction.
Training
UKRIO provides training and development activities for both researchers and research integrity specialists. Example topics include: introductory courses and refresher training on research integrity; safeguarding and enhancing research culture within an organisation; investigating research misconduct allegations; the work of research ethics committees; case study workshops; and Responsible Research and Innovation. Training is delivered in-person or virtually, and UKRIO has recently launched a pilot online training course, Introduction to Research Integrity.
UKRIO provides a comprehensive events programme to support and educate the research community, with regular webinars, free to access, roundtable events on specific research integrity topics, and an annual conference for its subscribers. A library of presentations and videos from its events is available on its website.
UKRIO provides training that emphasises the good practice that runs across all research disciplines as well as sessions that focus on a single discipline. Topics include:
- General introductions to research integrity and research misconduct
- How to adapt our published guidance for use in specific research environments
- Training for managers and administrators who have responsibility for investigating allegations of misconduct in research
- Case study workshops
- Sessions which focus on particular aspects of research integrity, such as research ethics, informed consent, internet-mediated research or publication ethics and authorship in academic publications.
- Approaches to implementing the requirements of research funders and other bodies, such as the UK Concordat to Support Research Integrity
As well as delivering training, UKRIO also gives informal and formal input into the development of institutional programmes for the education and training of staff and research students.
Promoting Research Integrity
UKRIO provides training and development activities for both researchers and research integrity specialists. Example topics include: introductory courses and refresher training on research integrity; safeguarding and enhancing research culture within an organisation; investigating research misconduct allegations; the work of research ethics committees; case study workshops; and Responsible Research and Innovation. Training is delivered in-person or virtually, and UKRIO has recently launched a pilot online training course, Introduction to Research Integrity.
UKRIO provides a comprehensive events programme to support and educate the research community, with regular webinars, free to access, roundtable events on specific research integrity topics, and an annual conference for its subscribers. A library of presentations and videos from its events is available on its website.
Contact
Steph Neave
Chief Executive Officer, UK Research Integrity Office
UK Research Integrity Office
Impact Hub London Euston
1 Triton Square
London NW1 3DX
James Parry
Chief Innovation Officer
UK Research Integrity Office
Impact Hub London Euston
1 Triton Square
London NW1 3DX
Croydon CR0 0XT - UNITED KINGDOM