Education & training

Research institutions can help foster research integrity and responsible research practices by providing researchers with healthy environments in which to work. Ensuring that researchers work in an environment that is collaborative, positive, inclusive, and enriching is a starting point to enable responsible research practices and research integrity. This guideline offers recommendations that can help research institutions provide researchers with adequate education and skills building opportunities. Ensuring that researchers are competent and versatile in their work not only helps researchers perform research of higher quality, but it can also help them feel more comfortable and able to deal with dilemmas and career uncertainty. The recommendations target several skills that are important for researchers, including research integrity, research skills, interpersonal skills and skills sharing. The guideline provides information relevant for research officers, trainers, managers, and coordinators, as well as deans, rectors and other institutional leaders. Given the broad diversity that exists among research institutions, it is possible that some recommendations are not applicable in all research settings. For this reason, the guideline should not be seen as a ‘one-size-fits-all’, but rather as a tool that can be used flexibly and adapted to meet institutions’ specific needs.