Research integrity
and governance

Ethics. Safety. Good practice. Academic freedom.
These are the pillars of the research that's being conducted here at the University of Hull.

Research governance is the framework of regulations, principles and standards of good practice that ensure a high quality of research. Our governance sets out the management of responsibilities and decision-making in relation to all aspects of research in the University. It applies to all members of staff and students that conduct or support research activities on behalf of the University.

At Hull, research governance is jointly managed by the University's Research Committee and Ethics Committee. It covers areas including research ethics, sponsorship, compliance (legal, regulatory and funder), licences and permits, and research practice.

Research governance aims to

ensure the safety of the participants and researchers involved;
ensure that research conducted is of high quality and of a high ethical standard;
consider ‘grey areas’ of questionable practice;
protect academic freedom;
clarify the expanding external governance of research;
monitor practice and performance.

For any enquiries or further information, please contact our research governance experts.

Ethics and Integrity

The University of Hull is internationally recognised for quality research. We are a member of UKRIO, and we are committed to generating robust and quality research supported by clear policies and guidance. The principles that the University upholds are defined in the Statement of Research Integrity, with the practical means to achieve this described in the Code of Good Research Practice and the Research Ethics Policy.

The University endorses the principles of the Concordat for Supporting Research Integrity. We thread the four core elements - honesty; rigour; transparency and communication; and care and respect - into every aspect of our research.

The University has a robust ethical review system delegated down from the University Ethics Committee to Faculty Ethics Committees. The Faculty Committees are supported by our institutional-level College of Reviewers, ensuring that each application is subject to appropriate scrutiny by the relevant members of staff. To support the continuation of high-quality and robust research, ethics and integrity training is available to staff and students.

For any enquiries regarding research integrity at the University, contact pvc-re@hull.ac.uk.

To report any concerns about research practices at the University, please contact university-secretary@hull.ac.uk. For further information about our whistleblowing policy, see here.

Policies, Codes and Guidance Notes

The University provides clear guidance on expected research practices through its governance framework documents.

Research governance documents

Statement of Research Integrity

Code of Good Research Practice

Research Ethics Policy

Procedure for Granting Ethical Approval

Code of Practice Research Misconduct

Policy and Procedure on Disclosures in the Public Interest (Whistle-Blowing)

Research Data Management and Sharing Policy

Statement on the Use of Metrics in the Assessment of Research

Concordats

Engaging the Public with Research

The concordat aims to create stronger ties with the public across all disciplines in the higher education sector. It sets out clear expectations for research organisations and, research managers, and supports researchers themselves to strengthen existing good practice in public engagement by ensuring that it’s valued, recognised and supported.

This will enhance the future of research to benefit the UK society and economy.

We commit to

ensuring the University has a strategic commitment to public engagement
ensuring that researchers are recognised and valued for their involvement with public engagement activities
ensuring that researchers are enabled to participate in public engagement activities through appropriate training, support and opportunities
undertaking regular reviews of researchers' and the wider research sector’s progress in fostering public engagement across the UK

What is public engagement?

The National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement defines public engagement as

“The myriad of ways in which the activity and benefits of higher education and research can be shared with the public. Engagement is by definition a two-way process, involving interaction and listening, with the goal of generating mutual benefit.”

The concordat describes the diversity of these activities to include

participating in festivals
working with museums/galleries/science centres and other cultural venues
creating opportunities for the public to inform the research questions being tackled
researchers and public working together to inform policy
presenting to the public (e.g. public lectures or talks)
involving the public as researchers (e.g. web-based experiments)
engaging with young people to inspire them about research (e.g. workshops in schools)
contributing to new media enabled discussion forums

Further information

Read the Concordat for Engaging the Public with Research

RCUK (Research Councils UK)

For any enquiries or further information, please contact our research governance experts.

Supporting Research Integrity

The concordat sets out what is expected of researchers, their employers and the funders involved in research to ensure good practice and research of the highest standards. It was devised by the UK Government in collaboration with Universities UK and Wellcome Trust, with other key stakeholders.

We commit to

maintaining the highest standards of rigour and integrity in all aspects of research
ensuring that research is conducted according to appropriate ethical, legal and professional frameworks, obligations and standards
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
using transparent, robust and fair processes to deal with allegations of research misconduct should they arise
working together to strengthen the integrity of research and to reviewing progress regularly and openly

Signatories

Department for Employment and Learning
Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE)
Higher Education Funding Council for Wales
National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)
Research Councils UK (RCUK)
Scottish Funding Council
Universities UK (UUK)
Wellcome Trust

Supporters

Academy of Medical Sciences
Association of Research Managers and Administrators
British Medical Journal
Council of University Classical Departments
CREST: Consortium for Research Excellence, Support and Training
Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
Government Office for Science Medical Schools Council
Royal Musical Association
UK Research Integrity Office (UKRIO)

Further information

Read the concordat to Support Research Integrity

Research action plan 2016-18

UKRIO (UK Research Integrity Office) concordat support

Annual Statement of Research Integrity

For any enquiries or further information, please contact our research governance experts.

Support the Career Development of Researchers

The concordat provides a clear set of principles for the future support and management of research careers and how to embed them into practice.

We’re delighted to announce that the University of Hull has signed the revised Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers - commonly known as the Researcher Development Concordat - joining 30 other organisations and institutions across the UK. Chair of the University’s Concordat Steering Group, Professor Iain Brennan, comments: “By signing the Researcher Development Concordat, we are committing to producing an action plan which includes strategic objectives, measures of success, and an implementation plan against which progress can be measured. We will also be making an annual report to our Governing Body. As a signatory, we will play a vital role in engaging with systemic challenges, including ways to provide more security of employment for researchers and flexible criteria for maternity and paternity benefits.” The Concordat, as first published in 2008, provides a framework to support the career development of researchers in UK universities and research institutes. In 2017, the Concordat Strategy Group announced an independent ten-year review to evaluate the progress made in implementing the principles and provide recommendations on the future role, content and governance of the Concordat. As a result, a new Researcher Development Concordat was published in September 2019.