Code of Practice for Research

In July 2025, the Code and its accompanying Recommended Checklist for Researchers were updated to reflect current best practice across the research landscape. These updates help users align their work with recognised standards of research integrity, meet funder and institutional requirements, and navigate emerging challenges in research. Key changes include:

• Alignment with the 2025 Concordat
  Incorporates the standards and guidance from the revised Concordat to Support Research Integrity (April 2025), including broader recognition of all contributors to research – such as research-enabling staff – and updated terminology addressing the full spectrum of Questionable Research Practices (QRPs). 
• Use of AI and emerging technologies
  Introduces a new section offering guidance on responsible and effective use of emerging tools, methods, and technologies in research, including artificial intelligence (AI).
• Destigmatising language
  Informed by UKRIO’s Barriers to Investigating Research Misconduct report (2024), the updated language aims to reduce stigma and encourage proper handling of concerns related to misconduct and other breaches of research integrity.
• Data management
  Strengthens expectations around data management and sharing by aligning with the FAIR principles, promoting openness and reusability in research data.

UKRIO’s Code of Practice for Research is a framework for high standards in research across all disciplines, sectors, and career stages. It provides practical guidance to support good research practice, promote a positive research culture, embed high ethical standards in research, and prevent breaches of integrity. 

For researchers, the Code serves as a hands-on tool, providing clear, actionable guidance to support everyday decision-making and responsible conduct throughout the research process. It includes the Recommended Checklist for Researchers –a standalone summary of key practices – to help individuals embed integrity into their work. While written for those with basic knowledge of research environments, the Code remains accessible to early-career researchers and those new to the field. 

For organisations, the Code offers a flexible framework to inform and enhance institutional policies, procedures, and research governance. It supports compliance with the expectations of funders, regulators, and professional bodies, and helps institutions meet their obligations under the UK Concordat to Support Research Integrity. 

The Code is designed for anyone involved in conducting, supporting, or overseeing research. This includes: 

• Researchers at all career stages – from undergraduate and postgraduate students to early-career and senior academic staff, across all disciplines. 

• Research integrity officers and equivalent roles   

• Research-enabling staff – such as technicians, data managers, administrators, and research development professionals. 

• Research organisations – including leadership and policy teams at universities, research institutes, industry partners, and other bodies that fund, host, or sponsor research. 

• Funders, publishers, and regulators – as a reference point for assessing institutional standards and expectations for research integrity. 

• Research ethics committees – in supporting ethical review and promoting responsible research conduct. 

The Code is relevant within the UK and internationally, and may be adapted to reflect national, legal, and disciplinary contexts. 

The Code addresses all stages of the research lifecycle – from planning and design through to dissemination and publication – and provides clear expectations for both individual researchers and institutions. Key areas include: 

• Good research practice and leadership 
• Supervision, training, and development 
• Research design and risk management 
• Collaboration and competing interests 
• Ethics in human, animal, and data research 
• Health, safety, and the environment 
• Intellectual property, copyright, and finance 
• Peer review and publishing 
• Data management and open access 
• Funding and partnerships
• Breaches of research integrity 
• Research culture 
• Responsible use of AI and new technologies 

The Code is structured into three practical sections: 

• Section 1: Recommended Checklist for Researchers – a step-by-step guide to good research practice, covering key actions before, during, and after the conduct of research. 

• Section 2: Commitments – summarising the responsibilities of researchers and organisations, based on the five key commitments of the Concordat to Support Research Integrity. 

• Section 3: Standards for Organisations and Researchers – detailed expectations for good practice, adaptable across disciplines and research settings. 

Researchers are encouraged to use the Code throughout the research process, as a reference point for ethical, transparent, and high-quality work. It offers guidance not only on core research activities but also on broader topics such as collaboration, leadership and supervision, research culture, reproducibility, and research assessment. 

Organisations can adopt the Code in full or in part, or use it as a benchmark when developing or reviewing their own research policies and frameworks. It supports compliance with the requirements of funders, regulators, and other bodies, helping ensure key issues are addressed and research integrity is upheld across all areas of activity. 

The latest versions of the Code and the Recommended Checklist for Researchers are available for download in accessible, screen reader-friendly formats: