Since late November 2018, the University of Orléans has an official body dedicated to promoting scientific integrity and research ethics. In this way, it is in full compliance with national policy in the matter and it meets one of the criteria required by the HSR4R certification label.
This framework is embodied by a Scientific Integrity and Research Ethics advisor (generic term), assisted by a collegial body comprised of three people, the Scientific Integrity and Research Ethics Committee (CIDR). Together, the advisor and the CIDR represent the four larger disciplinary fields studied in our institution (social sciences; humanities, literature and languages; theoretical sciences; experimental sciences).
The constituent document voted on by the University’s bodies (cf. Board meeting of 23/11/2018) showcases the spirit with which this framework was designed.
The University of Orléans is fully aware that personnel assigned to research in our institution are committed to doing upstanding research, by scrupulously respecting ethical principles in the exercise of their activities. Grey areas sometimes remain in the matter (...) and it is necessary to prepare, at the level of the institution, a framework including guidance and prevention procedures, as well as procedures for the treatment of breaches of scientific integrity.
From this approach stem three main missions that the CIDR, led by the scientific integrity and research ethics advisor must take on:
- A mission to raise awareness about issues regarding scientific integrity, and to support training courses on this matter.
- A mission of “mediation in situations of conflict (determining the authors before publishing, sharing or access to data, budgets and equipment…) or of calls to order, especially when the cases brought forward are minor”. (cf. Board meeting of 23/11/2018).
- A mission of analysis and guidance, in situations of potential breaches of integrity or suspicions of fraud (data fabrication and falsification, plagiarism).
The president of the University, following the approval of the Research Commission, appointed for a three year mandate (renewable once) the following individuals:
To the position of advisor:
- William Marois, University Professor (PU) of economics
As members of the CIDR:
- Nathalie Dion, Associate Professor Accredited to Supervise Research (MCF HDR) of law (CRJP)
- Philippe Haugeard, University Professor (PU) of French language and literature (POLEN)
- Jérôme Durand-Lose, University Professor (PU) of computer sciences (LIFO)
- Caroline West, University Professor (PU), of chemistry (ICOA)
Any individual, be it a member of the University community or not, can refer to the advisor or the Scientific Integrity and Research Ethics Committee for any issue involving scientific integrity. Confidential handling of the cases will, of course, be guaranteed.
The committee owns the following dedicated e-mail address: CIDR@univ-orleans.fr
Finally, the CIDR advises all members of the public to read the following documents and visit the following websites for more detailed information on the importance and the defence of scientific integrity:
- National ethics charter for careers in research of 26 January 2015
- Assessment and proposals for the implementation of the national charter of scientific integrity
- The European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity (cf. le site de l’ALLEA : European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities)
- The “Vade mecum” on scientific integrity of 21 March 2017, produced by the French Scientific Integrity Agency (OFIS, Office français d’intégrité scientifique) : http://www.hceres.fr/ofis).
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