• Reliability : “guaranteeing the quality of research (…) in the design, methodology, analysis and use of resources. »
• Honesty : “To develop, undertake, evaluate, report and publicize research in a transparent, fair, complete and objective manner. »
• Respect:  “for colleagues, research participants, society, ecosystems, cultural heritage and the environment“
• Responsibility: ”  for research activities from idea to publication, their management and organization, for training, supervision and mentoring, and for the broader implications of the research. »

The implementation of an institutional policy begins with the precise identification of breaches of scientific integrity:

• plagiarism in all its forms, direct or indirect,
• the unjustified refusal or undue attribution of an author’s position in a publication,
• the fabrication and falsification of data,
• non-retention or retention of primary data and research protocols,
• failure to declare or conceal conflicts of interest,
• non-compliance with international conventions and protocols concerning, in particular, the impact on living organisms and the environment.

• Ensure that scientific integrity is respected and promoted, as set out in the Charter of Ethics for Research Professions.
• Carry out prevention and training, to promote a common culture of scientific integrity within the university.
• Receive requests for information.
• Establish mediation for all conflict situations related to research activities that are reported to it.
• Collect and address allegations of alleged breaches of scientific integrity. If staff from outside the university are involved, a joint investigation with the scientific integrity officer of the latter’s employer may be organised.
• Write a report in which remedial actions will be proposed in the event of a breach of ethics and scientific integrity.
• Ensure the external representations of the University of Caen Normandy, in particular within the OFIS  (French Office for Scientific Integrity) and the network of Scientific Integrity referents of the CPU (Conference of University Presidents).
• Propose broader actions to be implemented regarding scientific integrity.

On the other hand, the RIS represents the University of Caen Normandy within the RIS committee of the COMUE, bringing together all the RIS of the Normandy institutions.

This committee works on IS issues related to the PhD.

• Handling of allegations of non-compliance with the CIT concerning a doctoral student
• Training of doctoral students in scientific integrity according to the ministerial decree of 25 May 2016
• The fight against plagiarism
• Implementation of the oath of integrity for future PhDs

Any person acting in good faith, who is aware of a possible breach of scientific integrity, may report to the Scientific Integrity Officer (RIS) | integrite-scientifique@unicaen.fr.

Reception

The allegation of non-compliance is sent by email or mail, signed and dated. This statement describes the situation and the persons involved. The anonymity of the whistleblower is guaranteed by the referee.

Admissibility of the report

In the preliminary investigation phase, the referent verifies that the report is sufficiently serious to follow up. In the event that an investigation is initiated, it informs the persons involved.

Instruction

In all cases, absolute priority is given to the facts as well as to the presumption of good faith of the persons concerned. It is understood that, at any stage of the proceedings and whenever it seems possible, the referent may propose mediation to the persons concerned, in order to settle the situation through a series of relevant measures accepted by all parties.

The investigation shall be conducted in an adversarial manner, with uniformity of treatment, and with the assistance of independent experts if necessary. The inventory of the facts reported, the established facts and the arguments provided by the various parties leads to the drafting of a report by the scientific integrity referent which can accompany it with recommendations. The investigation report is submitted to the President of the University.

Suites

The decision on the follow-up to be given to the investigation report rests with the President of the University of Caen Normandy.

• National Charter of Ethics for Research Professions
•  ALLEA European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity
• Order in Council 2021-1572 of December 3, 2021
• COMET-CNRS Practical Guide (2017)
• LEUR Recommendations (2020)
• Website of the French Office for Scientific Integrity (OFIS)
• MOOC from the University of Bordeaux
• Science in the face of mistrust – Lecture by Pierre Corvol (Friday, February 21, 2020)