Supporting a responsible research process

Research quality is inherently linked to research integrity. The European PRINTEGER project (Promoting INTegrity as an IntEGral Dimension of Excellence in Research) highlighted a need for organizational guidance on how to foster research integrity within institutions to ensure excellence in research. A consensus panel was established, with a breadth of practical and theoretical understanding on how to strengthen integrity within research organisations, to develop guidance that could be adopted beyond the PRINTEGER project consortium. The panel consisted of members from different European countries and organisations, with diversity in terms of gender, geography, functions, seniority and disciplinary background. The members discussed recommendations in two rounds by email (a Delphi process) and at a final 1-day meeting during the PRINTEGER Conference on Research Integrity, in Bonn in Germany, February 7th 2018. This document presents the outcome of the consensus process by stating thirteen principles that organisations could follow in order to foster research integrity.