Research Integrity and Conduct Policy

This policy describes the principles of undertaking responsible research at the Institute. It is based on the national Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research 2018 (the Code) and the relevant Guides.

The policy covers the following areas, which are detailed in the relevant procedural documents:

3.1. Research Integrity

1. All research conducted by and on behalf of the Institute is to be conducted in a manner of honesty, fairness, integrity and with rigour, ensuring compliance with all relevant state and national legislation.
2. All research will be conducted according to ethics committee requirements, including any regulatory body requirements for safety.
3. Where research is managed by external research partners or collaborators, evidence of appropriate ethics approval, safety and any regulatory body requirements will be provided to the Cairnmillar Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) before the research commences.
4. The Principal Investigator on a research project must be a member of staff of the Institute. Students are ineligible to be principal investigators.
5. All researchers must disclose any conflict of interest, whether actual, potential or perceived, according to the Code.

3.2. Health and Safety in Research

3.2.1. Researchers will inform themselves of any risks involved in their research and comply with the Institute’s Occupational Health and Safety Policy and all occupational health and safety requirements for any site involved in the research project.

3.3. Management of Research Data

3.3.1. All data are to be collected, managed and maintained in accordance with the Code. All researchers are required to adhere to the collection, retention, storage, access and ownership of research data in accordance with the procedures relevant to this policy and the Code.

3.4. Supervision

3.4.1. Supervisors are responsible for ensuring that their research students meet the relevant research integrity requirements and adhere to their obligations. Supervisors are responsible to mentor, support and oversee their research students according to the Code.

3.5. Dissemination and Accurate Representation

3.5.1 Researchers will disseminate their research findings responsibly and appropriately, according to the Code.

3.5.2 Researchers will accurately and appropriately attribute authorship for all research outputs as outlined in the Code and the Institute’s Publications and Authorship Policy and Intellectual Property Policy, both of which are linked to this policy.

3.5.3 Where dissemination of findings involves engagement with the media, Researchers will do so in a factual, respectful manner consistent with relevant professional codes (of conduct/ethics) and the Institute’s Media Policy.

3.6. Research Code Breach

3.6.1 Any failure to adhere to this policy or the relevant procedures may result in a breach or serious breach of the research code by the researcher(s).

3.6.2 A suspected breach of the research code must be reported to the Chair of Research and Research Training Committee in accordance with the Institute’s Research Integrity Breaches procedure.