The Nuffield Council on Bioethics' Report on the Culture of Research
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A workshop to discuss The Nuffield Council on Bioethics’ report on the culture of research in HEIs Tuesday 21 July 2015 Aston University, Birmingham The aim of this workshop is to facilitate a discussion among research leaders and research support staff from UK HEIs about how the suggestions for action made in the Nuffield Council on Bioethics’ report on the culture of research are being or should be taken forward by HEIs and the research community as a whole. Relevant suggestions for action are listed below. The full report can be downloaded at: www.nuffieldbioethics.org/research-culture The Council is delighted to be co-hosting this workshop with Universities UK, the Association of Research Managers and Administrators, and Aston University. This is the first of two workshops following the report. The second will take place later in the year and will be for a wider set of stakeholders, such as funding bodies, publishers and editors, learned societies and policy makers, as well as research institutions. The outcomes of this first workshop focusing specifically on the views of HEIs will feed into the second workshop. Twitter: #sciculture 1 Programme 10.00 Coffee and registration Chair of morning session Jamie Arrowsmith, Programme Manager, Universities UK 10.30 Welcome Gina Rippon Professor of Cognitive Neuroimaging, School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University 10.35 Overview of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics project on the culture of scientific research Ottoline Leyser Chair of the Steering Group for the Nuffield Council on Bioethics project on The culture of scientific research; Professor of Plant Development at the University of Cambridge 11.00- Session 1: Assessment of researchers 12.30 Panellists • Ian Carter, Director of Research and Enterprise, Sussex University • Bob Burgoyne, Professor of Physiology and Acting Executive Pro Vice- Chancellor for Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool; member of the Academy of Medical Science’s ‘Team Science’ Working Group • Paul Walton, Professor of Chemistry, University of York; member of the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Inclusion and Diversity Committee • Ann Hartley, Associate Director, Human Resources, Aston University Questions for discussion • What can be done to ensure researchers are assessed broadly, without undue reliance on journal impact factors and funding income? • How can appraisal systems become more sensitive to the full range of researchers’ professional work? • What research outputs other than publications in peer reviewed journals might research assessment recognise? • How can high quality peer review service be recognised rewarded? 12.30 Lunch 2 Chair of afternoon session Zoe Stockdale, Deputy Chair, Association of Research Managers and Administrators; Graduate Studies Manager, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford 13.30- Session 2: Research integrity and ethics 15.00 Panellists • James Parry, Chief Executive, UK Research Integrity Office • Margaret Rees, Chair of the Association for Research Ethics and Secretary of the Committee of Publication Ethics; Reader Emeritus in Reproductive Medicine, University of Oxford • Elizabeth Adams, Researcher Development Manager, University of Glasgow • David Hill, Head of Research Governance, Newcastle University Questions for discussion • What practical steps can universities take to embed research integrity and ethics within the heart of academic research? • What can universities do to minimise pressures and incentives that may result in researchers compromising on research integrity and ethics? • What are the responsibilities of universities in addressing cases of research misconduct? • How universities ensure that ethical review processes are flexible, appropriate and interactive, and that ethics committee members have appropriate guidance, training and knowledge? 15.00 Coffee break 15.30- Session 3: Career development and support 17.00 Panellists • Alison Mitchell, Director of Development, Vitae • Julia Warner, Research and Enterprise Manager, University of East Anglia • Marina Parry, Postdoctoral Scientist, Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute • Liz Elvidge, Head of Postdoc Development Centre, Imperial College London Questions for discussion • What steps could universities take to better support researchers at the early stages of their careers? • How can universities better promote and support researchers looking to move into alternative careers? • What are universities doing to adopt employment practices that support diversity and inclusion? • How are leaders in research being supported? 17.00- Summing up and close 17.15 3 Background In 2014, the Nuffield Council on Bioethics carried out a series of engagement activities that explored the culture of scientific research in the UK and its effect on ethical conduct in science and the quality, value and accessibility of research. The project included a survey of almost 1000 people and 15 discussion events at universities around the UK involving around 740 participants. Although the focus of the project was scientific research, the issues raised are likely to be relevant to many other areas of academic research. The project found that researchers are concerned that aspects of the culture of research in UK HEIs can encourage poor research practices and hinder the production of high quality research. For example, high levels of competition and perceptions about how researchers are assessed for jobs and funding are reportedly contributing to a loss of creativity, less collaboration and poor research practices, such as rushing to finish and publish research or employing less rigorous research methods. The report of the project concludes with suggestions for action for funding bodies, research institutions, publishers and editors, professional bodies and individual researchers. Those for research institutions and researchers are as follows: Suggestions for action for research institutions • Ensure that the track record of researchers is assessed broadly, without undue reliance on journal impact factors, in processes for making appointments, conducting staff appraisals and awarding promotions. • Cultivate an environment in which ethics is seen as a positive and integral part of performing research. Ensure researchers, particularly early career researchers, have a thorough grounding in research ethics and access to information and training throughout their careers. Be open about the consequences of research misconduct. • Recognise and reward high quality peer review and committee service. • Provide mentoring and career advice to researchers throughout their careers. Encourage them to plan their future and expand their skills and experience outside of the research environment, and tackle negative attitudes towards those leaving academia. • Ensure institutional ethical review processes are flexible, appropriate and interactive, and that ethics committee members have appropriate guidance, training and knowledge. • Support leaders in research by providing appropriate training, resources and recognition for their diverse activities. • Sign up to the principles of the Athena SWAN Charter and adopt other employment practices that support diversity and inclusion. Suggestions for action for researchers • Be familiar with and actively contribute to the adoption of relevant codes of ethical conduct and standards for high quality research, treat colleagues fairly and equally, and try to instill good values in students and staff. • When assessing the track record of fellow researchers, for example as a grant reviewer or appointments panel member, use a broad range of criteria, without undue reliance on journal impact factors. • Consider ways of sharing work with others wherever possible, for example, by choosing accessible journals, making published work available in public repositories and sharing datasets. • Engage with funders, publishers and learned societies to maintain a two-way dialogue and to contribute to policy-making, for example by responding to consultations, attending events or sitting on committees. • Seek out a mentor and/or be a mentor to someone else. • Frequently assess your career options and consider opportunities to widen your experience Download the project report and find out more at: http://nuffieldbioethics.org/research- culture 4 Speaker biographies Elizabeth Adams Elizabeth Adams is the Researcher Development Manager at the University of Glasgow, where she manages professional and career development opportunities for early-career researchers. Elizabeth is the key point of contact for the University's HR Excellence in Research Award, the CROS and PRES surveys, research integrity training and the Research Staff Representative Forum. She is responsible for externally accredited training programmes for researchers (e.g. the Glasgow Postgraduate Leadership Programme), the 3 Minute Thesis Competition and the annual research staff conference. She clerks the University's Researcher Development Committee, supports researcher-led initiatives and works collaboratively with other institutions and Scottish research pools. Elizabeth is Deputy Convenor of the Universities Scotland Research Training sub-commmittee and represents the University on several national groups or forums to discuss issues relating to researcher development, enterprise training and research integrity. Elizabeth has a PhD in Chemistry and a CIPD Certificate in Learning and Development. She previously worked in the Education Team at the Royal Society of Chemistry,