ENRIO – Science Europe Joint Statement on Advancing Research Integrity through International Collaboration
13 January 2026
About this statement
ENRIO and Science Europe reinforce their shared commitment to strengthening research integrity across Europe.
Responding to the increasing internationalisation, complexity, and pace of research, the statement sets out four priority areas to guide more effective, aligned, coordinated, and evidence-informed action across the research ecosystem.
This joint initiative underscores the added value of international collaboration and engagement across all research integrity stakeholders. With many existing networks already acting in key areas, and in light of the soon-to-be-launched European Research Area Action 18 on integrity and ethics, Science Europe and ENRIO reaffirm their commitment to coordinated and collaborative efforts that foster research integrity and support good research practice across Europe.
Joint Statement by ENRIO and Science Europe
Advancing Research Integrity through International Collaboration
As research becomes increasingly international, complex, and fast-paced, ensuring and safeguarding integrity across the international research system demands aligned, co-ordinated, and evidence-informed action.
The European Network of Research Integrity Offices (ENRIO) and Science Europe recognise the strategic importance, timeliness, and added value of an expanding international and collaborative approach to fostering research integrity and further enabling good research practice. Respective actions and aims are increasingly aligned, and recent joint activities, including a co-organised workshop in Ljubljana, Slovenia (22 September 2025) have highlighted a number of themes that both organisations now emphasise as a reference for future actions and expanding collaborations with all research integrity stakeholders.
This joint statement synthesises ongoing strategic discussions within both organisations and builds on key outcomes of the joint workshop, outlining four priority areas intended to inform and guide collective efforts by Science Europe, ENRIO, and the wider community of research integrity stakeholders in advancing a robust and coherent research integrity ecosystem across Europe.
We present four ‘action pillars’ to guide a co-ordinated, international approach to research integrity action, to which all stakeholders can contribute according to their specific roles and functions. With these, the community can most effectively enable research integrity as a core component of our global research system in support of knowledge advancement, and research quality and impact.
Structures & Co-ordination
Establish a trusted pan-European platform where stakeholders can securely share information on integrity initiatives, policies, practices and public outcomes, complementing existing platforms, such as the Embassy of Good Science. Accompany this with a cross-sector network connecting stakeholders and stakeholder organisations to exchange experiences, co-develop tools, and align standards –fostering a more collegial, cohesive, and collaborative international research integrity community.
Enablement & Engagement
Promote and extend the professionalisation of research integrity through accessible, high-quality training and common guidance. A shared international repository of resources coordinated across organisations will ensure consistency, reduce unnecessary duplication, and empower all actors to act on and embed integrity practices within their specific contexts.
Grounding & Evidence
Develop a systematic, open approach to collecting, analysing, and sharing data on research integrity interventions, outcomes, and lessons learned. This collective and rich evidence base will enable evidence-informed policymaking, continuous practice improvement, accountability across the research system, and support further advocacy for the role and importance of good research practice.
Mainstreaming & Embedding
Integrate and further embed research integrity into every stage of the research life cycle, from priority setting to research conception, and from methodology definition to dissemination and evaluation. It is essential to collectively create compelling narratives, materials, resources, and references to continually reinforce research integrity as a core value of our research system.
A more coherent and collaborative approach to research integrity actions across the four pillars identified will enable and support engagement in our collective work to promote research integrity across the research ecosystem. This statement serves to reiterate the commitments of Science Europe and ENRIO to work collaboratively and with all relevant partners in a co-ordinated manner to foster research integrity and support good research practice. Existing networks and fora can serve to advance activities in key areas, and the World Conference on Research Integrity and the European Research Area Action 18 are two examples of platforms that can help advance on the action pillars identified above.