Academic integrity

Academic integrity is one of the three core values of the research of Radboud Business Law Institute (pdf, 130 kB). In view of the institute, academic integrity and quality of academic research are inseparable. All of the institute’s research is bound to generally accepted principles of good academic research. These principles are laid down in the Netherlands Code of Conduct for Research Integrity (2018) by the Association of Universities in the Netherlands (VSNU) and the ALLEA European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity (2017). It follows from these codes of conduct that the principles of professional academic research are: honesty and scrupulousness, reliability, verifiability, impartiality, independence and responsibility.

The preservation of the academic integrity of research is an ongoing task for the Board of the institute. The following measures are especially aimed at safeguarding the integrity of our research.

Academic independence

The institute has an independent position vis-à-vis its partners, as regards both the content of the research and its financing. The independence of the institute is guaranteed by the partnership agreement concluded between the Faculty of Law and each of the institute’s partners. Based on their experiences in law practice, partners suggest research topics which subsequently can be elaborated by the institute, which autonomously and exclusively determines its research agenda.

Secondary activities

One of the characteristics of the institute is its cooperation with legal practice. It is not uncommon for our researchers to engage in secondary activities in that legal practice. Secondary activities encompass all paid and unpaid activities that take place outside the scope of an employment at Radboud University and that do not form part of the academic duties of the employee. Secondary activities may not threaten a researcher’s academic integrity. For this reason our researchers are obliged to report secondary activities they carry out for third parties or at their own initiative. With a view to transparency, our researchers are obliged to disclose their secondary activities online on their individual profile page. This policy is in line with the Radboud University Secondary Activities Regulations.

Fellows and external PhD candidates

Fellows and external PhD candidates affiliated with the institute have their main employment outside Radboud University. The institute’s integrity policies apply to them and their research in full. Prior to their appointment the Board informs fellows and external PhD candidates of these policies and requires them to explicitly underwrite these policies by signing a declaration of academic integrity.

Externally funded research

The institute endorses the Declaration of Scientific Independence of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), regarding the independence of its researchers when carrying out contract research for external parties. The institute will accept external research proposal only if the underlying contract provides for the necessary safeguard for the independence of the research. In particular the researcher – and not the principal – shall have the last say on the results of the research and remunerations and other tokens of appreciation shall never depend on the outcome of the research.

Research data management

Researchers must store and maintain the data they collect in a well-thought-out manner. After the completion of a research, the research data must be archived and, if possible, be made available for reuse. Research data management guarantees the safety and confidentiality of research data, contributes to the transparency of research data and adds to the quality of (legal) research. Good data management is also important in legal research, especially if the research has an empirical component. The institute endorses the Data Management Protocol of the Law Faculty, which is available at Radboudnet (University staff only).

Ethics Assessment Committee Faculty of Law and Nijmegen School of Management (EACLM)

The Radboud University Faculty of Law and the Nijmegen School of Management have a joint ethics assessment committee. The committee aims to ensure that publicly funded research conducted within these two faculties is carried out in accordance with the ethical guidelines of the financier and in line with the applicable ethical principles prescribed both locally (Radboud University) and nationally. The task of the EACLM is to inform and advise research applicants about the ethical acceptability of the research proposals. Moreover the committee facilitates interim ethical reviews of research projects conducted within the faculties. Publicly funded research proposals prepared by the institute are submitted to the EACLM for advice or testing.