Research Integrity Policy

1.1. As set out in its Strategic Plan 2025-2030, the University of Oxford (‘the University’) is committed to enabling ambitious research of exceptional quality, underpinned by the highest standards of integrity, to ensure that its research is reliable and trustworthy. This Policy sets out the principles and expectations that guide all research activity¹ across the University, including the University’s commitment to the Concordat to Support Research Integrity (2025) (‘the Concordat’), incorporating guidance from the UK Research Integrity Office (UKRIO) and ensuring alignment with relevant legal, ethical, and regulatory frameworks and funder requirements. It is intended to support a culture in which good research practice is valued and actively upheld, and in which concerns can be raised and addressed in a fair, transparent, and proportionate manner.

1.2. This Policy exists in parallel with the University Procedure for Addressing Potential Breaches of Research Integrity (‘the Procedure’), which sets out how concerns relating to research conduct are handled at Oxford. Together, these documents constitute the University’s framework for implementing the Concordat commitments.

2.1. Research at the University of Oxford is underpinned by the following principles:

• Honesty: research must be conducted, presented and reported with honesty and accuracy
• Rigour: research must be carried out using robust methods and ensuring accurate records and critical assessment of limitations
• Transparency: methods, data, and decision-making should be as open as practicable
• Care and respect: all research must safeguard participants, colleagues, communities, animals and the environment
• Collaboration: researchers should contribute to an inclusive, respectful culture that supports constructive challenge, learning and knowledge-sharing
• Trust: relationships with partners, collaborators, participants and the public must be built on trust, reliability and integrity
• Accountability: researchers must use resources responsibly and take responsibility for the quality, integrity and reproducibility of their work.

These principles underpin all aspects of research, from project design through to sharing findings and sources, and the approaches to realising the societal and economic impact of research.

Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom

2.2. The University upholds freedom of speech and academic freedom as essential conditions for high-quality research. Researchers are expected to exercise these freedoms responsibly, and they do not exempt researchers from their responsibilities under this or any other relevant University policy. Concerns about research integrity should not be raised or resisted by improperly invoking freedom of speech. 

3.1. All individuals conducting or supporting research at the Collegiate University are responsible for adhering to this Policy and maintaining the highest standards of ethics and integrity in their research. This Policy applies to all members of the University² who are conducting or supporting research including University staff, research students (including postgraduate research and DPhil students) and their supervisors, visiting or emeritus researchers, contractors, and those who are not members of the University but who are conducting research on University premises (including in overseas research units), or using University facilities or funding for their research such as visiting staff, fellows, students and contractors. It also applies to professional staff and other University staff who support research (e.g. research facilitators, research technical professionals, IT support staff, library staff, and administrative support staff) and staff employed by one of the University’s Colleges or Halls and who are conducting or supporting research. All these individuals are collectively referred to in this Policy as ‘researchers’.

3.2. The requirements set out in this Policy apply to all stages of the research lifecycle, including the planning, execution, sharing of research findings and sources, and in activities to realise research impact. They also apply to research assessment activities including peer review, editorial duties, grant reviewing duties, assessment of others’ research, supervisory responsibilities, stewardship of data, materials and records, and collaborative responsibilities.
Researchers are required to:

• be honest in proposing, conducting and reporting research, ensuring accuracy in the presentation of methods, data, findings and interpretations and acknowledging the contributions of others
• recognise their accountability to the University, their peers and the public for the conduct of their research
• be familiar with best practice guidance and standards of research integrity (including the Concordat and the UKRIO Code of Practice for Research 2025) and be appropriately trained in responsible research practice, undertaking mandatory University research integrity training³ (SSO) at all levels required for their career stage and experience
• meet all legal, ethical and regulatory requirements (both in the UK and any relevant foreign jurisdictions where the research may be conducted), obtaining a favourable ethical opinion before commencement of research where required and ensuring all work complies with University policies, including requirements around research data management, Trusted Research and any funding, collaboration or contractual obligations
• proactively identify, assess and manage risks arising from their research to ensure the security, safety and sustainability of the University in alignment with the University’s established risk appetite
• seek to ensure the safety, dignity, wellbeing and rights of those associated with the research
• effectively and transparently manage any conflicts of interest (which include actual and perceived conflicts), reporting these to the appropriate authority as set out in the Conflicts of Interest Policy
• having due regard to subject disciplinary norms, acknowledge that authorship of a research output should be attributed⁴ only to those who have made a significant intellectual, scholarly or practical contribution to that output and are willing to take responsibility for their contribution
• be aware of rapidly changing practices involving new and evolving technologies in research including large language models/generative AI and machine learning, and to ensure alignment with the Policy for using Generative AI in Research where applicable
• follow the requirements and guidance of any professional, statutory or regulatory body or discipline-specific organisation that sets recognised standards for the conduct, governance or dissemination of research in the relevant field. Staff and students who are members of a regulated profession must follow the requirements and guidance of the regulating body
• be aware of and avoid Questionable Research Practices (QRPs) as defined in 4.3 below, including outdated, inconsistent or insufficiently rigorous methods, and to maintain up-to-date knowledge of good practice in their field.

3.3. Principal Investigators and supervisors have additional responsibilities arising from their leadership roles. They must foster a supportive and inclusive research environment, ensure that colleagues, students and other supervisees understand the standards expected of them, and provide appropriate supervision, mentoring, and training. They must promote ethical conduct, legislative compliance, effective risk management, responsible authorship practices, and encourage open discussion of research challenges. They should also support early and proportionate resolution of concerns.

3.4. The University is responsible for maintaining a clear and coherent framework for research integrity. This includes providing accessible policies, support and guidance on good research practice, and expert advice on regulatory and compliance matters in relation to research involving human participants, delivering training and development opportunities, investigating potential breaches of this Policy ensuring that procedures for managing concerns are fair, transparent, and proportionate, and reporting annually on research integrity activity. In fulfilling these responsibilities, the University is committed to safeguarding academic freedom and fostering a research culture in which integrity, rigour and responsible conduct are upheld throughout the institution. The University will cooperate fully with external organisations that set expectations around research integrity, including funders, regulators, the UK Committee on Research Integrity (UKCORI) and UKRIO, and will meet all associated reporting requirements.

3.5. In the event of a witnessed or suspected failure to comply with the requirements set out in this Policy, a concern should be raised under the University Procedure for Addressing Potential Breaches of Research Integrity.

4.1. A breach of research integrity may occur where an action or omission of the kind described in 4.2 below is carried out intentionally, recklessly or negligently, such that the principles and expectations set out in this Policy are not upheld. Such breaches may arise from actions or omissions that compromise the accuracy, reliability, or legal/ethical conduct of research. Questionable Research Practices (QRPs) may not in themselves constitute breaches of research integrity unless they amount to reckless or negligent departures from accepted standards.

4.2. Breaches of research integrity include (but are not limited to) intentionally, recklessly or negligently doing, planning or attempting any of the following in the conduct, communication, review, assessment or stewardship of research and related research-supporting activities (as defined in 3.1 above):

a) Fabrication, falsification and misrepresentation of data, results, methods, sources or findings, including selective, misleading or incomplete reporting of findings or suppression of inconvenient results; omission of data from analysis and publication without valid justification; manipulation of processes, materials or equipment in ways that distort outcomes; misrepresentation of aims, findings, credentials, experience or publication history

b) Misappropriation, plagiarism and misuse of others’ work including self-plagiarism and unacknowledged use of the work of others; unauthorised use of information obtained through peer review, collaboration or supervision; abuse of confidentiality with respect of unpublished materials; misappropriation of physical materials, data, intellectual property or other materials

c) Breaches of legal, ethical and professional standards including failure to obtain or adhere to required ethical approvals or regulatory requirements; failure to adhere to requirements relating to use of personal data or privileged, private or confidential information collected during the research; failure to exercise an appropriate duty of care relating to human participants, animals or the environment; failure to preserve, manage and/or share primary data, records, artefacts and materials in accordance with legal, funder and/or University requirements

d) Misrepresentation of involvement in a research project, including failure to include legitimate author(s) on outputs; granting authorship where none is warranted; withholding author agreement for publication without suitable justification; or of credentials, including qualifications, experience, and publication history

e) Failure to declare conflicts of interest, including failure to declare, manage or act transparently in relation to personal, financial or professional conflicts of interest that may influence the design, conduct or communication of research; failure to declare conflicts of interest relating to peer review processes

f) Improper conduct during peer review of research proposals, results or manuscripts submitted for publication, including breach of confidentiality or misuse of information obtained during peer review; conducting peer review in a biased, negligent or misleading manner

g) Collusion in or concealment of breaches of research integrity by others

h) Improper dealing with research integrity breaches or concerns, including failure to address possible infringements, failure to adhere to University or funder procedures for reporting or responding to concerns, obstruction of investigation processes, or inappropriate censoring of parties including the improper use of legal instruments such as non-disclosure agreements.

4.3. The University recognises that research is an exploratory process and that not all infringements are equally serious. Some of the practices listed above may occur on a spectrum from minor lapses to QRPs to serious breaches, depending on intention, recklessness or negligence. A serious breach of research integrity is a breach as defined in 4.2 above that seriously undermines the integrity of the research record and/or poses substantial risks to participants, animals, colleagues, the environment or the University’s legal and ethical obligations. In addition, the University recognises the category of QRPs which represent a spectrum of behaviours ranging from mistakes to carelessness and even lack of competence which may arise from outdated, inconsistent or insufficiently rigorous practices. QRPs do not necessarily constitute a breach of research integrity; however, where such practices amount to reckless or negligent departures from accepted standards (e.g. inappropriate statistical methods, selective reporting or other practices inconsistent with current disciplinary norms), they may meet the threshold for a breach as defined in this Policy. Honest minor error, legitimate differences in interpretation and minor lapses in good practice arising from lack of experience or knowledge are not treated as breaches of research integrity for the purposes of this Policy, and may instead be addressed through training, supervision or mentoring. The University is committed to ensuring that concerns are assessed proportionately and with sound judgement, and that institutional responses focus on learning and improvement wherever appropriate. Where an action or omission of any nature constitutes a legislative breach, this will require investigation and reporting regardless of the intention threshold.

4.4. Breaches of research integrity for the purpose of this Policy do not include concerns about students’ examined work, which falls within the jurisdiction of the Proctors under the Proctors’ Disciplinary Regulations for Candidates in University Examinations and Statute XI.

4.5. The University expects all members of its research community to uphold the highest standards of research integrity. Where an individual has reasonable grounds to believe that a breach of research integrity (or a serious risk of such a breach) may have taken place, they are expected to raise the concern at the earliest opportunity so that it can be considered and where necessary, addressed. The University will respond to concerns sensitively and proportionately, and will ensure that individuals who raise concerns in good faith are supported and protected from any form of detriment or retaliation. Concerns may be raised confidentially, or in limited circumstances, anonymously; details of the routes available and how such concerns are handled are set out in the Procedure. 

4.6. For details on how to raise a concern and the procedure the University will follow in the event of a concern being raised, see the Procedure, which sets out the stages of triage, initial assessment, and where necessary, formal investigation.
 

5.1. This Policy and the supporting Procedure are published on the external University website. The University will publish an annual Research Integrity Statement in line with the requirements of the Concordat, including anonymised information on the number and type of concerns raised, the outcome of any investigations, key themes, and actions implemented to strengthen research integrity. Review of the Policy and the Procedure will take place every three years, or in response to legal, regulatory or University requirements. Minor non-substantive changes to the Policy or the Procedure (such as updates to terminology, lists of resources, minor changes to existing levels of support) may be approved by the Co-Chairs of Research Practice Sub-Committee (RPSC) and submitted for noting by Research and Innovation Committee (RIC). Substantive changes will be reviewed by RPSC, which may approve the change(s) itself and/or refer approval to RIC in line with RPSC Terms of Reference. 

6.1. This Policy should be read alongside the University’s wider framework of research related policies and guidelines, including those listed below. These policies collectively support the responsible conduct of research and provide detailed guidance on specific aspects of research practice. Researchers are responsible for ensuring that they understand and comply with all relevant policies and procedures in the conduct of their research, including those relating to:

Ethics, integrity and compliance
Research Ethics Policy
Policy and Procedure on Conflicts of Interest
Public Interest Disclosure (Whistleblowing) Policy
Safeguarding ‘At-Risk’ Adults and Children
Export Control in Research Policy
Policy on the Use of Animals in Scientific Research
Procedure for Addressing Potential Breaches of Research Integrity

Research practice and data stewardship
Research Data Management Policy
Open Research Position Statement
Open Access Publications Policy
Publication and Authorship Guidance
Policy for Using Generative AI in Research
Research Practice Compliance Checklist
Data Protection Policy
Information Security Policy

People, culture and conduct
Anti-Bribery Policy
Harassment Policy
Counter-Fraud Policy
University Statement on Health and Safety Policy

Collaboration, impact and external engagement
Responsible Knowledge Exchange, Engagement and Impact (KEEI) Framework
Research Collaboration Values
Intellectual Property Policy
University Financial Regulations (Part 4)

Useful links and resources:
UKRIO Good Practice Checklist for Researchers
Concordat to Support Research Integrity (April 2025)
UKRIO Code of Practice for Research (2025)
Singapore Statement on Research Integrity
Montreal Statement on Research Integrity in Cross-Boundary Research Collaborations
Wellcome Trust Responsible Conduct in Research Guidelines
UKRI Policy on the Governance of Good Research Ptactice
UK Committee on Research Integrity (UKCORI) annual statements and case studies
Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Guidelines
General Medical Council Good Research Practice Guidelines