2025 subscriber symposium

On Thursday 22 May 2025, UKRIO held its annual subscriber symposium, bringing together representatives from across our subscriber organisations for a day of networking, collaboration, and shared insights into key developments in research integrity. This year’s event welcomed over 180 attendees from nearly 80 organisations, including universities, research institutes, learned societies, charities, and government bodies.

The theme of this year’s symposium was to explore the challenges facing research stakeholders across the UK and how collaboration could serve as an effective tool to address them. Throughout the course of the day, activities and discussions centred on opportunities to build and strengthen partnerships across research sectors, particularly in response to uncertainty stemming from financial pressures and recent policy changes. Sessions also examined how stakeholders can use meaningful metrics to evaluate the impact of collaboration, and how collaborative approaches can promote equity and inclusivity across the research landscape.

Event highlights

Click below to view highlights from this year’s symposium. Additional materials, including a full post-event report and recordings, are available exclusively for UKRIO subscribers via the subscriber portal.

Introduction from UKRIO’s CEO and new Chair of Trustees

The symposium opened with a welcome from UKRIO CEO Stephanie Neave, followed by introductory remarks from UKRIO’s newly appointed Chair of Trustees, Professor Dame Linda Partridge.

Dame Linda, drawing on her extensive scientific background, highlighted the evolving challenges in research due to global disruptions, AI, and financial pressures. She stressed the importance of collaboration and fostering inclusive research cultures to uphold integrity and ease systemic pressures on researchers. Dame Linda concluded by recognising UKRIO’s crucial role in supporting the research community and creating spaces for open dialogue and collaboration, including through its annual subscriber symposium. 

Keynote address

We were delighted to have Chi Onwurah MP, Chair of the House of Commons Science, Innovation and Technology Select Committee (SITC), share her insights as the keynote speaker at this year’s symposium.

Ms Onwurah offered insights from her role as a Member of Parliament, reflecting on the current state of UK research and highlighting key priorities championed by SITC. She identified major challenges—geopolitical instability, funding disparities, and rapid technological change—and called for coordinated action to create a more inclusive, balanced, and resilient research system. Emphasising the need to sustain the UK’s position as a global research leader, she highlighted the value of long-term investment, strengthened regional infrastructure, support for early-stage innovation, and a research culture that serves the whole of society. 

Panel discussion

Moderated by UKRIO Chair Professor Dame Linda Partridge, this year’s symposium featured a panel discussion with leading voices from the research landscape.

Panellists:

  • Elisabeth Costa: Chief of Innovation and Partnerships at the Behavioural Insights Team
  • Pippy James: Chief Product Officer at the UK’s Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA)
  • Andrew Jones: Vice-Chancellor of Brunel University of London and Policy Lead for Research and Innovation, Universities UK Board
  • Hetan Shah: Chief Executive of the British Academy and chair of Our World in Data

Framed around the symposium’s central theme of collaboration, the discussion brought together perspectives from across the research system, including private research organisations, universities, and funding bodies. 

The panellists explored how different actors – such as universities, funders, and learned societies – can better enable and support cross-sector collaboration. They reflected on the challenges of working together amid mounting financial pressures and shared initiatives that are helping to build trust, spark ideas, and support early–career researchers. They also emphasised the value of carefully designing and evaluating placement lengths and structures to ensure lasting impact.

During a dedicated Q&A session, the panel addressed how to better support smaller institutions in the arts and humanities, improve access to funding, foster collaboration, and overcome ethical and structural barriers to interdisciplinary work. 

Peer-led good practice forums

A core aim of this year’s symposium was to provide attendees with opportunities to connect with peers, explore shared challenges in research integrity, and exchange examples of good practice. To support this, the programme featured Peer-led Good Practice Forums – interactive sessions focused on key topics across the research landscape, facilitated by expert volunteers from UKRIO’s subscriber community. 

Forum topics and facilitators included:

  • AI and research integrity
    Facilitated by Dr Evi Stamatiou, Senior Lecturer in Acting for Stage and Screen, University of East London, and Dr Andrew Porter, Research Integrity and Training Adviser, Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute

  • Research ethics
    Facilitated by Professor Catherine Dormor, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Advanced Learning Technologies and Digital Innovation), University of Westminster

  • Research misconduct
    Facilitated by Louise Dunlop, Head of Research Governance, Ethics and Integrity, Queen’s University Belfast

  • Authorship
    Facilitated by Dr Natasha Awais-Dean, Research Integrity Manager, King’s College London

  • Research culture
    Facilitated by Kathryn Dally, Director of Programmes, UKRIO

In advance of the symposium, attendees were invited to submit questions and suggested discussion topics to help shape the forum conversations. Designed to be flexible and conversational, the forums encouraged active participation and peer exchange. Discussions focused on the key challenges and opportunities subscribers encounter in practice, with all sessions held under the Chatham House Rule to ensure anonymity and foster a safe space for honest dialogue. 

Subscribers can access high-level summaries of the conversations held within the Peer-led good practice forum via the subscriber portal.

Updates on UKRIO’s work

At the close of the symposium, CEO Stephanie Neave shared updates on UKRIO’s recent and ongoing work to support the research community, including new resources, upcoming initiatives, and future projects. She presented key updates and outputs from UKRIO’s 2024/2025 work programme, including: 

Research misconduct

  • UKRIO input into the refreshed Concordat to Support Research Integrity in April 2025 

  • Upcoming research misconduct training materials in development 

Artificial intelligence: 

  • Subscriber roundtable discussion on AI held in February 

  • Upcoming practical guidance UKRIO will publish on AI and research integrity in summer 2025  

Authorship disputes: 

  • UKRIO’s project on authorship disputes commissioned by UKRI, including workshops with stakeholders to develop tools to support good authorship practices (to be released Autumn 2025) 

  • Subscriber roundtable discussion on authorship in research publications held in December 

Research culture: 

  • UKRIO’s participation in an episode of the Research Uncovered podcast, discussing the relationship between research culture and research integrity 

  • New taught training for senior leaders on promoting a culture of research integrity 

  • Subscriber roundtable discussion on research culture held in June 

  • Upcoming Expert webinar on research culture on 25 June, featuring Dr Elizabeth Gadd, Head of Research Culture & Assessment at Loughborough University; and Professor Catherine Davies, Dean for Research Culture at the University of Leeds 

Training

  • Quarterly training webinars for subscribers on a range of topics 

  • New in-person and virtual training sessions covering topics where particular sector needs have been identified, such as on research ethics and AI 

  • A new suite of online training materials on research ethics that UKRIO is currently developing with the University of Suffolk 

Sector collaborations 

  • Collaborating with the Wellcome Trust and other partners to develop online knowledge modules on data-sharing in misconduct investigations 

  • Providing expert input to the UK Committee on Research Integrity’s working group focused on the national systems for handling research misconduct and poor practice 

Thank you to all attendees

UKRIO extends its heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed to this year’s UKRIO subscriber symposium – from the speakers, panellists, and peer facilitators, to all those who attended and took part in the discussions. Contributors’ time, insights, and shared commitment to strengthening research integrity across all disciplines made the event valuable. 

We look forward to continuing these conversations and working together to uphold the highest standards in research in the year ahead.