General principles of responsible research

Responsibilities of the University of South Australia

Based on R1 to R13 of the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research.

The University will:

• promote awareness of all its policies and procedures, and other guidelines and legislation relating to the conduct of research; and make relevant documents readily available to researchers;
• facilitate mutual cooperation with open exchange of ideas between peers; respect and support freedom of expression and inquiry;
• maintain a climate in which responsible and ethical behaviour in research is expected;
• have a well-defined process for receiving and managing allegations of research misconduct;
• train research staff and students in responsible and ethical research practice;
• promote appropriate mentoring and supervision of researchers and research trainees;
• ensure, as far as practicable, a safe working environment in which to conduct research and, as far as practicable, the safety of all those associated with the research; and
• ensure, as far as practicable, that agreements with contractors who conduct research on behalf of the University include a commitment to follow the general principles of the Code and this Framework or another code that is consistent with these.

Responsibilities of researchers

Based on R14 to R29 of the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research.

Researchers are expected to foster and maintain a research environment of intellectual honesty and integrity, and scholarly and scientific rigour. This requires researchers to:

• search for knowledge and understanding;
• conduct research honestly;
• respect the rights of those affected by their research;
• manage conflicts of interest so that ambition and personal advantage do not compromise ethical or scholarly considerations;
• adopt methods appropriate for achieving the aims of each research proposal;
• follow proper practices for safety and security, and comply with relevant legislation, standards and University policies;
• cite awards, degrees conferred and research publications accurately, including the status of any publication, such as review or in press, when giving information about themselves or others;
• promote the adoption of responsible research practice;
• ensure, as far as practicable, that agreements with contractors that they engage to conduct research under the auspices of the University of South Australia include a commitment to follow the general principles of the Code and this Framework or another code that is consistent with these;
• report suspected research misconduct, in accordance with University policies and procedures;
• conform to the policies adopted by their institutions and bodies funding the research; and
• disseminate research findings responsibly