J.6 — Research Integrity

Document Control Information

Policy Code

J.6

Standard

J. Research and Scholarly Activities

Status

published

Version

1

Process Owner

Research & Post Graduate Education

Prepared By

Research & Post Graduate Education

Reviewed By

QAIE

BOT Approval

approved

First Issue Date

23 Sept 2023

Last Review Date

24 Jun 2024

Relevant To

DMU Stakeholders

Used With

—

Modification History

Purpose and Scope

• This policy and its associated procedures apply to

1. All individuals directly or indirectly engaged in any research, research training, research-related grant, or cooperative/collaborative agreement at or for DMU.
2. Any person paid by, under the control of, or affiliated with DMU, such as scientists, trainees, technicians, and other staff members, students, fellows, guest researchers (including Visiting Professors), and collaborators at DMU or in any research collaboration arrangement with an external body.

• This policy covers practicing research integrity in the conduct of research and reporting research misconduct.

Abbreviations and Definitions

Policy Statement

1. All research should be carried out in a manner that aims for the highest quality of ethical, scientific, and scholarly outcomes. All research should be designed and conducted in a manner that aims to make a meaningful contribution to knowledge and improve outcomes for the community. All research should wherever possible align with the DMU Research Strategy and Priorities.
2. All research is to be carefully managed to ensure it is delivered safely, effectively, and cost-effectively.
3. All researchers, including students undertaking research, must conduct themselves in a way that supports the University Code of Conduct and complies with their conditions of employment or student registration. All members of the DMU research community are responsible for ensuring that any research is conducted according to UAE legislation and regulations.
4. Students and their supervisors must be aware of their responsibilities to ensure research is conducted in accordance with the Code of Conduct and the Research Integrity Policy.
5. DMU Research Committee and Research Ethics Committee will evaluate the quality of research and review all research proposals and protocols involving animals and human subjects respectively to ensure that the rights and welfare of the subjects are adequately protected and that matters of confidentiality are respected.
6. DMU is committed to the pursuit of research excellence and the maintenance of the highest standards of integrity and ethical behavior in all its research endeavors and does not tolerate any departure from these standards. DMU fully subscribes to the accepted international best practices on research integrity, scientific freedom and responsibility, scholarly publications, and guidelines.

• All the research proposals are approved by DMU.
• Research involving human subjects and animal research is required to submit Human/Animal study protocol for Research Ethics Committee approval. 
  1. Persons involved in research should abide by all other legislation, regulations, and policy, such as the Conflict-of-Interest Policy requiring declaration on conflicts, aimed at responsible conduct of research. This includes abiding by all Health and Safety regulations and procedures.

Policy Statement — Continued

1. Fabrication: Making up data, source material, methods, or findings, including graphs and images.
2. Falsification: Manipulating, changing, or omitting data, source material, methods, or findings, including graphs and images, without acknowledgment, which results in inaccurate findings or conclusions.
3. Destruction of Research records: The destruction of one's or another's Research data or records to specifically avoid the detection of wrongdoing or contravening the applicable funding agreement, University policy and/or laws, regulations, and professional or disciplinary standards.
4. Plagiarism: Presenting and using another's published or unpublished work, including theories, concepts, data, source material, methods, or findings, including graphs and images, as one's own, without appropriate referencing and, if required, permission.
5. Redundant publications: The re-publication of one's own previously published work or part thereof, or data, in the same or another language, without adequate acknowledgment of the source, or justification.
6. Invalid authorship: Inaccurate attribution of authorship, including attribution of authorship to persons other than those who have contributed sufficiently to take responsibility for the intellectual content or agreeing to be listed as author to a publication for which one made little or no material contribution.
7. Inadequate acknowledgment: Failure to appropriately recognize the contributions of others in a manner consistent with their respective contributions and authorship policies of relevant publications.
8. Failure to declare Conflict of Interest: Failure to declare any real, potential, or perceived Conflict of Interest under any applicable Conflict of Interest policies and procedures.
9. Mismanagement of Conflict of Interest: Failure to appropriately manage any real, potential or perceived Conflict of Interest in accordance with any applicable Conflict of Interest policies and procedures.

1. providing incomplete, inaccurate, or false information in a grant or award application or related document, such as a letter of support or a progress report.
2. listing co-applicants, collaborators, or partners without their agreement.

1. provide incomplete, inaccurate, or false information in a grant, award, or other funding application or related document.
2. use sponsored Research funds for purposes inconsistent with the funding agency's policies.
3. misappropriate sponsored Research funds.
4. contravene the financial policies of the funding agency; or
5. provide incomplete, inaccurate, or false information on documentation for expenditures from sponsored Research accounts.

Procedures & Guidelines

1. Breaches of DMU's research integrity standards are considered disciplinary matters, and individuals conducting research at DMU must accept this obligation.
2. All research faculty, staff, and students have an obligation to report observed, suspected, or apparent misconduct, malpractices and/or non-compliance with the DMU's codes of conduct and discipline promptly and in good faith. If any researcher is found to be aiding, abetting, or willfully suppressing information on cases of research misconduct, he/she may be subject to disciplinary procedures.
3. Any suspected research misconduct reported to the research unit will be subjected to the University disciplinary committee action. Upon receiving a report of research misconduct, the university initiates a preliminary assessment to determine if there is enough evidence to warrant a formal investigation. This initial assessment is often conducted by a research integrity officer.
4. If the preliminary assessment suggests that there is sufficient cause for concern, the university will launch a formal investigation. A committee or panel, often consisting of experts in the field, will be formed to conduct the investigation. The individuals involved in the investigation are typically unbiased and do not have a direct interest in the outcome.
5. During the investigation, evidence is collected, which may include reviewing research data, interviewing individuals involved, and examining relevant documents.
6. The investigation committee will produce a report detailing its findings. This report will indicate whether research misconduct has occurred, the extent of the misconduct, and its impact on the research and the academic community.
7. If research misconduct is confirmed, the university will impose appropriate sanctions. Sanctions may include corrective actions, such as correcting or retracting publications, and disciplinary measures against the individual(s) responsible, which can range from reprimands to termination of employment or academic sanctions.
8. Relevant parties, such as funding agencies and journals where the affected research was published, may be notified of the findings of research misconduct.
9. It's important to note that procedures and policies related to research misconduct can vary between universities and may be influenced by local, national, and international regulations. Individuals involved in research at universities are typically expected to adhere to the highest ethical standards to maintain the integrity and credibility of academic research.

Responsibilities for Application

• Deans of Colleges
• Research & Post Graduate Education Department
• Research Ethics Committee
• Faculty Members