MLE on Research Integrity

The launch of the PSF Mutual Learning Exercise on Research integrity brought representatives of 14 countries together with external experts in the field to exchange good practices to promote research integrity in Europe. Participants presented what is the current status in their countries – including existing practices, challenges and expectations of the four topics that the MLE will address: incentives, dialogue & communication, training processes & structures. After discussing the topics, participants agreed together on the scope of the MLE as well as on the timeline.

During the MLE’s first country visit, the participants focused on exchanging national practices on the first of its four priority areas: stimulating processes and structures that support research integrity. The visit included meetings with Norwegian research and innovation stakeholders to understand institutional, national and cross-border perspectives.

The focus for the MLE’s second country visit was two of its four priority areas: promoting positive incentives and spreading research integrity culture among stakeholders through communication and dialogue. The MLE participants met Greek national representatives and discussed how incentives and dialogue among relevant stakeholders contribute to make research integrity stronger in Europe.

The MLE’s third country visit focused on the last of its four priority areas: enhancing training on research integrity in all stages of researchers’ careers. MLE participants from 14 countries visited Paris, France, to meet French research authorities and stakeholders in order to exchange good practices and lessons learned on this essential topic – a foundation for excellent science and societal trust.

The final meeting of the MLE RI took place in Vilnius, where Lithuanian stakeholders presented the state of Research Integrity in Lithuania. Participants discussed the final report of the Mutual Learning Exercise on Research Integrity, and the main examples of good practice and lessons learned during the activity.

The dissemination event of the Mutual Learning Exercise on Research Integrity presented its results at a satellite event during the final conference of the project ENERI “European Network of Research Ethics and Research Integrity”, funded by Horizon 2020. The objective of the project was to develope recommendations on how to harmonise daily practice for research ethics committees and research integrity offices. The conference brought together leading ethics and research integrity experts, researchers, policy makers, research funding organisations, civil society and other stakeholders.