One-click Concordats - an overview of UK research related Concordats

One-click Concordats

Concordat to Support Research Integrity (under revision; revised version expected later in 2019)

1. Maintaining the highest standards of rigour and integrity in all aspects of research.

2. Ensuring that research is conducted according to appropriate ethical, legal and professional frameworks, obligations and standards.

3. Supporting a research environment that is underpinned by a culture of integrity and based on good governance, best practice and support for the development of researchers.

4. Using transparent, robust and fair processes to deal with allegations of research misconduct should they arise.

5. Working together to strengthen the integrity of research and to reviewing progress regularly and openly.

Available from: https://ukrio.org/our-work/the-concordat-to-support-research-integrity/

Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers (also under revision; revised version expected later in 2019)

1. Recognition of the importance of recruiting, selecting and retaining researchers with the highest potential to achieve excellence in research.

2. Researchers are recognised and valued by their employing organisation as an essential part of their organisation’s human resources and a key component of their overall strategy to develop and deliver world-class research.

3. Researchers are equipped and supported to be adaptable and flexible in an increasingly diverse, mobile, global research environment.

4. The importance of researchers’ personal and career development, and lifelong learning, is clearly recognised and promoted at all stages of their career.

5. Individual researchers share the responsibility for and need to pro-actively engage in their own personal and career development, and lifelong learning.

6. Diversity and equality must be promoted in all aspects of the recruitment and career management of researchers.

7. The sector and all stakeholders will undertake regular and collective review of their progress in strengthening the attractiveness and sustainability of research careers in the UK.

Available from: https://www.vitae.ac.uk/policy/concordat-to-support-the-career-development-of-researchers

Concordat for Engaging the Public with Research

1. UK research organisations have a strategic commitment to public engagement.

2. Researchers are recognised and valued for their involvement with public engagement activities.

3. Researchers are enabled to participate in public engagement activities through appropriate training, support and opportunities.4. The signatories and supporters of this Concordat will undertake regular reviews of their and the wider research sector’s progress in fostering public engagement across the UK.

Available from: https://www.ukri.org/public-engagement/research-council-partners-and-public-engagement-with-research/embedding-public-engagement/

Concordat on Open Research Data

1. Open access to research data is an enabler of high quality research, a facilitator of innovation and safeguards good research practice.

2. There are sound reasons why the openness of research data may need to be restricted but any restrictions must be justified and justifiable.

3. Open access to research data carries a significant cost, which should be respected by all parties.

4. The right of the creators of research data to reasonable first use is recognised.

5. Use of others’ data should always conform to legal, ethical and regulatory frameworks including appropriate acknowledgement.

6. Good data management is fundamental to all stages of the research process and should be established at the outset.

7. Data curation is vital to make data useful for others and for long-term preservation of data.

8. Data supporting publications should be accessible by the publication date and should be in a citeable form.

9. Support for the development of appropriate data skills is recognised as a responsibility for all stakeholders.

10. Regular reviews of progress towards open research data should be undertaken.

Available from: https://www.ukri.org/funding/information-for-award-holders/data-policy/

Concordat on Openness on Animal Research

1. We will be clear about when, how and why we use animals in research.

2. We will enhance our communications with the media and public.

3. We will be proactive in providing opportunities for the public.

Available from: http://www.understandinganimalresearch.org.uk/policy/concordat-openness-animal-research/

Concordat for the Advancement of Knowledge Exchange in Higher Education in England (under consultation; finalised version expected later in 2019)

1. Mission: Knowledge exchange is a recognised part of the overall university strategy. We have a clear understanding of the institutional role and the purpose of KE and whom the intended beneficiaries are.

2. Policies: We have clear policies on all the types of KE that we undertake and we ensure they are understood by staff, students, collaborators and beneficiaries.

3. Engagement: We have clear access points, engagement mechanisms and policies developed to suit the needs of a wide range of beneficiaries working with institutions as publicly funded bodies.

4. Working effectively: We make sure that our partners and beneficiaries understand the ethical and charitable regulatory environments in which our institution operates and we take steps to maximise the benefit to them within that context.

5. Capacity building: We ensure that our staff and students are developed and trained appropriately to understand and undertake their roles and responsibilities in the delivery of successful KE.

6. Recognition and rewards: We recognise the achievements of our staff and students who perform high-quality KE activities.

7. Continuous improvement: We proactively strive to share best practice with our peers and have established processes for learning from this.

8. Evaluating success: We undertake regular institutional and collective monitoring and review of our strengthening KE performance using this concordat and through regional, national or international benchmarks to inform the development and execution of a programme of continuous improvement.

Available from: https://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/policy-and-analysis/reports/Pages/knowledge-exchange-concordat-consultation.aspx