Research Integrity in International Collaborations
DIVISION OF RESEARCH
Bronwyn Greene,Director UNSW Integrity
Dr Ted Rohr,Director Research Ethics & Compliance Support
UNSW Australia, Sydneywww.unsw.edu.au
International Context for UNSW:% research outputs produced as a result of international collaborations:
85% of citations from papers with international authors (source: Scopus)
2011 2012 2013 2014 201540% 41% 42% 46% 48%
International Institutions Co-authored PublicationsAfrica 109 305Asia-Pacific 837 3722Europe 1294 6925Middle East 162 717North America 702 5074South America 133 430
How well are research integrity and the responsible conduct of research covered in international collaborations…
How do we, as research administrators, support international research collaborations to ensure the responsible conduct of research?
Hypotheses…1. International collaborations don’t generally cover research
integrity2. International collaborations are hard3. Research administrators obstruct international
collaborations
Survey Participants:
Are you a senior researcher at an Australian university or research institute?
Do you have a minimum of ten years experience in leading international research collaborations?
Medical & health related (n=17)
Science, technology & engineering (n=25)
Business & law (n=4)
Humanities, education, arts & social sciences (n=3) Survey data as at 31 August 2016
(UNSW Human Research Ethics reference HC16580)
True: Researchers recognise the
importance of data management plans to protect themselves
International collaborations have better email trails
If someone stuffs up, collaborators will withdraw
Not true: Significant differences
among disciplines Expectation that everybody
defaults to the same, responsible behaviour
Research may be inappropriate through lack of local understanding
Personal Interviews (n=4):
(UNSW Human Research Ethics reference HC15491)
Australian Code:• Retain research
data and primary materials
• Provide secure data storage and record-keeping facilities
• Identify ownership• Ensure security and
confidentiality
Research Data & Primary Materials:
True:• Similar codes make it easier• Open access benefits
moving data and materials across borders
• Set ground rules up front• Represents the foundation of
research integrity
Not true:• Understanding of international
requirements sometimes unclear
• Some collaborators’ countries don’t meet minimum Australian requirements
• Data validation sometimes difficult across boarders
Research Data & Primary Materials (cont.):
Australian Code:• Agree on authorship• Include all authors• Do not allow
unacceptable inclusions of authorship
• Acknowledge other contributions fairly
• Maintain signed acknowledgements
Managing & Determining Authorship:
Managing & Determining Authorship (cont.):
True:• Easy if authorship
discussed and agreed to early on in project
• Criteria and order accepted in some disciplines internationally and therefore easy
Not true:• Often based on political
decisions and not on intellectual contribution
• Defining “intellectual contribution” often subjective
• Power imbalance of senior researchers over junior researchers amplified across borders and disciplines
Australian Code:• Respect research
participants/animals used in research
• Respect the environment
• Ensure a safe research environment
Ethics Approvals & Other Permits:
Ethics Approvals & Other Permits (cont.):
True:• Easy if collaborators are
clear on local responsibilities and these are discussed and agreed upfront
Not true:• Different regulatory
requirements of different countries
• Some international collaborations are avoided because of ethics and regulatory compliance requirements and institutional bureaucracy in their countries
Australian Code:• Disclose conflicts of
interest• Withdraw where
appropriate• Maintain a record of
each conflict of interest and how it is managed
Conflicts of Interest:
Conflicts of Interest (cont.):
True:• Easy to manage as long as
there is transparency• Most did not consider this
as an issue
Not true:• Some found it challenging
regardless of international collaborations
• Differing standards for managing CoIs between countries
• Failure to manage CoIsacross borders can lead to significant financial losses
Australian Code:• Research
assessed for quality, safety, privacy, risk management, financial management and ethical acceptability
• Report research responsibly
Research Integrity:
Research Integrity (cont.):
True:• Not an issue in
international clinical trials • Open source platforms or
cloud computing critical
Not true:• Checking for data validity is
difficult across borders and relies on trust
• Raw data not verified because of geography
• Differing internationally research integrity standards sometimes at conflict with the Australian requirements
Australian Code:• Research Integrity
Advisors• Designated
Person• CEO or delegated
officer• Enterprise
bargaining agreements
Allegations of Research Misconduct:
Allegations of Research Misconduct (cont.):
True:• Acknowledged that they
have never been the subject of, involved in, or managed an allegation of research misconduct
Not true:• Managing allegations
across borders too hard and a disincentive to manage allegations
• International standards of research integrity makes managing allegations impossible
Singapore Statement (cont.):
True:• Effective in
outlining best practice
Don’t know:• Never heard of it
Not true:• Functional terms
used vary across borders
Key Messages:
• Many research integrity principles generally covered but discipline differences need to be explored
• Research administrators generally perceived as supporting researchers
• Little discussion around handling allegations of research misconduct
• Uptake of Singapore Statement seems low
Q: Implications for the current review of the Australian Code?
What can we do?
ARMS
INORMS
Research
• Annual Conferences within the ARMS geographic space
• Local Events
• Meet your counterparts overseas
• Learn about international rules
• Promote• Talk to Researchers• Ask the hard questions
Questions?Acknowledgements:Daniel Owens, Warwick Dawson, Aleks Alimpijevic UNSWUNSW Human Research Ethics Team
Bronwyn Greene, Director UNSW [email protected]
Dr Ted Rohr, Director Research Ethics & Compliance [email protected]
Web:https://research.unsw.edu.au/units/research-integrityandhttps://research.unsw.edu.au/recs