Code of Conduct for Research Integrity

Code of Conduct for Research Integrity

The mission of the College is to promote integrity and excellence in the practice of research. In doing so, the College has a responsibility to ensure that all research carried out under its umbrella is conducted to the highest standard in accordance with the law and public interest.

The College follows the European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity.

 European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity

The European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity (ECoC) is the main European framework defining standards for responsible research. It is developed and maintained by ALLEA (All European Academies) and is officially recognized by the European Commission, including under Horizon Europe.

Reliability - Ensure quality in research design, methodology, analysis, and use of resources.
Honesty - Be transparent and truthful in presenting objectives, methods, data, and findings.
Respect - Respect colleagues, participants, research subjects, ecosystems, cultural heritage, and society. Researchers should be mindful of the environmental impact of their work and strive to adopt sustainable practices in areas such as travel, resource consumption, and waste generation, wherever feasible.
Accountability - Take responsibility for research from idea to publication and beyond.

Good Research Practices

The Code covers responsibilities across the full research lifecycle:

1. Research Environment

• Promote a culture of integrity
• Clear supervision and mentoring
• Transparent policies
• Promote researcher well-being and a sustainable work-life balance, recognizing that a supportive and healthy environment is essential for fostering long-term research integrity and excellence.

 2. Training & Supervision

• Proper mentoring of early-career researchers
• Training in research integrity

 3. Research Procedures

• Robust methodology
• Ethical approvals where required
• Proper risk assessment

 4. Data Practices & Management

• Secure storage
• Transparency
• FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable)

 5. Collaborative Research

• Clear agreements among partners
• Defined roles and responsibilities
• Transparency in authorship

 6. Publication & Dissemination

• Accurate reporting
• Acknowledgment of funders
• Avoidance of salami slicing and duplicate publication
• Disclose the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and automated tools in the research and writing process, in accordance with relevant publisher and funder guidelines. Researchers are responsible for ensuring the accuracy, integrity, and originality of all content, and must not list AI tools as authors.

 7. Reviewing, Evaluation & Editing

• Confidentiality
• Impartiality
• No misuse of privileged information

 Financial & Administrative Ethics

Grant beneficiaries must:

• Use funds strictly for approved purposes
• Maintain detailed accounting records
• Avoid double funding
• Declare conflicts of interest
• Ensure fair procurement procedures

 Research Misconduct (as defined in the Code)

 The Code identifies three core forms of misconduct: 

• Fabrication – Making up data or results
• Falsification – Manipulating research materials, data, or processes
• Plagiarism – Using others’ work without proper credit 

Allegations of misconduct will be taken seriously and investigated promptly, fairly, and confidentially. Researchers found to have breached this Code may face disciplinary actions, which could include retraction of publications, termination of funding, suspension, or dismissal, depending on the severity of the violation

 All Researchers should: 

1. Maintain high standards of integrity and honesty in all aspects of their research.
2. Ensure that their research is based on best practices and complies with ethical, legal and professional standards.
3. Use fair and transparent processes.
4. Ensure that information in their publications is correct and accurate.
5. Safeguard any data collected and use it appropriately for their research.
6. Safeguard children and vulnerable adults when doing their research.
7. Treat confidential information with respect and integrity.
8. Share their research findings with the academic community and the general public.
9. Respect Intellectual Property Rights and ownership.
10. Follow clear policies on Authorship which includes a clear indication of those who contributed to the work and in what capacity.
11. For some research projects it may be necessary to obtain the approval of the Cyprus National Bioethics Committee. Researchers should consult directly with the Cyprus National Bioethics Committee. Contact details and more information on the approval process can be found on http://www.bioethics.gov.cy .  

Researches must follow the guidelines and regulations of the Cyprus department of Registrar, the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). 

 Protection of Personal Data 

Everyone has the right to the protection of personal data concerning him or her. Such data must be processed fairly for specified purposes and on the basis of the consent of the person concerned or some other legitimate basis laid down by law. Everyone has the right of access to data which has been collected concerning him or her, and the right to have it rectified. Compliance with these rules shall be subject to control by an independent authority.

All researchers affiliated with the College are expected to familiarise themselves with this Code and to conduct their work in accordance with its principles. Upon request, researchers may be required to sign a declaration confirming their commitment to uphold this Code.