Research Governance

The University is committed to good research conduct and to the underlying principles and commitments of  the revised UK Concordat to Support Research Integrity (October 2019). 

Members of the University have a collective responsibility to protect the good names of their colleagues and the institution by ensuring that their own research adheres to the principles of good research conduct and that they promote good research practice within the institution’s research community.

All those involved with the management of, or engaged in, research are committed to the following principles:

1. We are committed to upholding the highest standards of rigour and integrity in all aspects of research.

2. We are committed to ensuring that research is conducted according to appropriate ethical, legal and professional frameworks, obligations and standards.

3. We are committed to supporting a research environment that is underpinned by a culture of integrity and based on good governance, best practice and support for the development of researchers.

4. We are committed to using transparent, timely, robust and fair processes to deal with allegations of research misconduct when they arise.

5. We are committed to working together to strengthen the integrity of research and to reviewing progress regularly and openly.

All staff, students and visiting researchers must, therefore, adhere to the highest standards of integrity in the conduct of their research as set out in the Abertay Research Code of Conduct.

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) governs the way that organisations use personal data. You can access the Abertay Privacy Notice for Research Participants here.

Anyone wanting more information on matters of research integrity, should contact (and in confidence) the Dean of Research and the Graduate School (n.white@abertay.ac.uk) or the Chair of the University Research Ethics Committee (k.Smith@abertay.ac.uk). Alternatively, if you have a concern about research misconduct within the University, please raise the issue on our Information & Procedures on Complaints page.

Abertay staff, students and visiting researchers with concerns about observed, apparent or suspected research misconduct can email Graduate School or email Research Ethics.

The University is a signatory and is fully committed to the principles outlined in the revised UK Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers (September 2019). 

This Concordat sets out the conditions required to create the very best culture for researchers to thrive.  The Concordat sets out a vision of working practices, roles and responsibilities that will further the attractiveness and sustainability of research careers in the UK, and thus ensure the continued provision of well-trained, talented and motivated researchers that is essential to the continuation of research excellence.‌

The university has sought to align its procedures and practices to support researchers around the three defining principles of the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers covering Environment and Culture, Employment, and Professional and Career Development.

1. Environment and culture: Excellent research requires a supportive and inclusive research culture. Healthy working environments attract and develop a more diverse workforce, impact positively on individual and institutional performance, and enhance staff engagement.

2. Employment: Researchers are recruited, employed and managed under conditions that recognise and value their contributions. Provision of good employment conditions for researchers has positive impacts on researcher wellbeing, the attractiveness of research careers, and research excellence.

3. Professional and Career Development: Professional and career development are integral to enabling researchers to develop their full potential. Researchers must be equipped and supported to be adaptable and flexible in an increasingly diverse global research environment and employment market.

The Dean of Research and the Graduate School (n.white@abertay.ac.uk) champions the development and delivery of our Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers action plan.

The University is committed to the principles of the Concordat for Engaging the Public with Research, which sets out clear expectations for research organisations, researcher managers and supporters and researchers themselves, aimed at strengthening existing good practice in public engagement by ensuring it is valued, recognised and supported.

The University recognises the importance of public engagement to help maximise the social and economic impact of its research. Four principles of the Concordat for Engaging the Public with Research, which are:

1. The University has a strategic commitment to public engagement
2. Researchers are recognised and valued for their involvement with public engagement activities
3. Researchers are enabled to participate in public engagement activities through appropriate training, support and opportunities
4. The University will undertake a regular review of its progress in fostering public engagement activities and impact.

An engaged university embeds public engagement into its work. Find out about Abertay's commitment to public engagement.

The University is committed to the principles of The Concordat on Open Research Data to ensure that the research data gathered and generated by members of the research community is made openly available for use by others wherever possible in a manner consistent with relevant legal, ethical, disciplinary and regulatory frameworks and norms, and with due regard to the costs involved. All Abertay staff, students and visiting researchers must adhere to the Abertay University Open Access Publications’ Policy and the Abertay University Research Data Management Policy, which are aligned to the principles of the Concordat on Open Research Data.