UKRIO welcomes report of House of Commons Science, Innovation and Technology Committee on Reproducibility and Research Integrity

The UK Research Integrity Office welcomes this in-depth report as an important addition to the national conversation on research quality. UKRIO was created to support research integrity, which safeguards high standards and is essential to retain the public’s trust in research. Problems in research systems have been discussed for many years and it is time for concerted action from all involved in research.

James Parry, Chief Executive of UKRIO said: “There are significant tasks ahead in tackling the reproducibility challenge. We welcome that this report recognises UKRIO’s important contribution to the sector and agree that the need for reproducibility is a symptom of the broader issue of maintaining integrity in research.”

Each year our charity receives hundreds of informal and formal requests for guidance and support. We are already active in many of the areas identified in the report. UKRIO has plans to enhance our support for reproducibility through our guidance and training for researchers and organisations, and by continuing our collaborative work with UKRN.

UKRIO offers a recently revised good practice framework for investigating research misconduct that is recommended by UK Research & Innovation and other bodies. This procedure sets out the roles and expectations for key actors when cases of misconduct are identified. Our review of research misconduct in the UK, currently underway, will propose solutions for longstanding gaps in the UK’s research integrity governance architecture, essential to maintain trust in research.

We look forward to working with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, UKRN and other bodies to implement the report’s recommendations. We agree that cultural change is essential but it must be accompanied by evolution of research systems and incentives. We will respond to the report’s recommendations in depth in the coming weeks.

 

NOTES FOR EDITORS
  1. The UK Research Integrity Office (UKRIO) is an independent charity, offering support to the public, researchers and organisations to further good practice in academic, scientific and medical research. Established in 2006, UKRIO is the UK’s most experienced research integrity organisation and provides independent, expert and confidential support across all disciplines of research:
    • Education via our guidance publications on research practice, training activities and comprehensive events programme.
    • Sharing best practice within the community by facilitating discussions about key issues, informing national and international initiatives, and working to improve research culture.
    • Giving confidential expert guidance in response to requests for assistance.
  2. On 10 May 2023, the House of Commons Science, Innovation and Technology Committee published its report on reproducibility and research integrity. It highlights concerns over the reproducibility of scientific research.
  3. As part of the inquiry, James Parry, Chief Executive of UKRIO, gave evidence to the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee in February 2022. A transcript of the session is available on the Committee’s website.
  4. For further information, please contact us.

 

A PDF version of this media release is available here.