Research Governance

The University is committed to good research conduct and its governance and to the underlying principles and commitments of The Concordat to Support Research Integrity. 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 must:

1. maintain the highest standards of rigour and integrity in all aspects of research;
2. ensure that research is conducted according to appropriate ethical, legal and professional frameworks, obligations and standards;
3. support 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. use transparent, robust and fair processes to deal with allegations of research misconduct should they arise;
5. work together to strengthen the integrity of research and to review 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 revised Concordat to Support Research Integrity has been published (October 2019). The University RKEC is currently developing a revised action plan in response.

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

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 committed to the principles outlined in the UK  Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers.  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 seven core principles of the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers:

1. The University recognises the importance of recruiting, selecting and retaining researchers with the highest potential to achieve excellence in research.
2. The University recognises and values its researchers as an essential part of the organisation’s human resources and a key component of our overall strategy to develop and deliver world-class research.
3. Researchers are equipped and supported to be adaptable and flexible in an increasingly diverse, mobile, global research environment.
4. The importance of researchers’ personal and career development, and lifelong learning, is clearly recognised and promoted at all stages of their career.
5. Individual researchers share the responsibility for and need to pro-actively engage in their own personal and career development, and lifelong learning.
6. Diversity and equality is promoted in all aspects of the recruitment and career management of researchers.
7. The University undertakes regular and collective review of progress in strengthening the attractiveness and sustainability of research careers in the UK.

 The new Concordat to Support the Career Development for Researchers has been published (September 2019). The University RKEC is currently developing a revised action plan in response.

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.