What to do if you suspect research fraud or face allegations against you?

Responsible conduct of research is the backbone of academic work. Scientific research can only be ethically acceptable and its results credible if the research has been carried out in accordance with the responsible conduct of research.

Finland employs a self-regulation framework which is based on the national guidelines prepared by the  Finnish National Board on Research Integrity  (TENK) on the identification and investigation of responsible conduct of research (RCR) violations.

The suspicion of research fraud or negligence is a serious matter. A member should contact the Union at the earliest possible stage if they are suspected of research fraud or suspect that they have been the subject of a violation.

Allegations are dealt with according to the process of handling alleged violations of the responsible conduct of research, otherwise known as the RCR process. The Union lawyers are familiar with RCR cases and the process and are able to assist the researcher both when they suspect that they have been subjected to an RCR violation and in situations where they are suspected of an RCR violation. The Union can also be contacted if you have a specific research ethics issue in mind.

Check out the new Responsible Conduct of Research content on our website!