Ethics Committee of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)

Founding year

2007

History

The Ethics Committee of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) was created by Royal Decree 1730/2007 as a permanent and advisory collegiate body tasked with reflecting, issuing reports and making recommendations on ethical principles concerning research. The Committee is not a decision making Body.

The Operating Rules and the initial composition of the CSIC Ethics Committee were approved by CSIC Governing Board Resolution dated July 28, 2008. Since then, the Committee has been renewed several times. Currently, the Committee has eleven members.

ENRIO member since

2011

Structure

Established by Royal Decree

Main Tasks

In addition to Investigation, Training and Promoting Research Integrity, the CSIC Ethics Committee is responsible for dealing with ethical conflicts. Furthermore, the Committee works to raise awareness of researchers about the importance of research integrity, as well as to prevent research misconduct and unacceptable research practices. For this purpose, the Committee has drawn up the Code of Good Scientific Practices of CSIC, the CSIC Manual of Conflicts of Interest, and the Spanish National Statement on Research Integrity.

Investigation

CSIC’s Ethics Committee has agreed a procedure for dealing with ethical conflicts. Any individual or institution can bring a case to the attention of the Committee, whose field of competence is limited to CSIC and its employees.

First of all, the Secretary of the Committee analyzes whether the Committee is the competent body to address the issue, and provides the Chairman of the Committee and the Subcommittee of Conflicts with her/his recommendation. An agreement on acceptance is reached; if the conflict handling is dismissed, the Secretary, within seven days, will notice it to the informant by email or letter post.

If handling of the conflict is accepted, the Subcommittee of Conflicts will get in touch with selected people related to the case, and specifically interview those directly involved, so that they can give their side of the matter. Furthermore, the Subcommittee can hold private interviews with any other people concerned, as those in charge of human, materials or economic resources management, who could provide relevant additional information.

If applicable, experts or specialized commissions will be appointed to analyze the case and provide advice. Once the procedures are completed and an agreement on the case is reached by the Committee, the decision will be forwarded to the parties concerned. In parallel, it will be raised to the CSIC’s President, accompanied of a recommendation for action by the Institution.

Chart Workflow of dealing of investigations CSIC

Training

Several members of the CSIC Ethics Committee give lectures regarding research integrity and responsible conduct of research.

Research Ethics and Research Integrity have been included as topics in the CSIC Management Training Course aimed to CSIC’s Directors and Managers.

A course on research ethics and integrity is included in the CSIC’s annual training plan and is held twice a year

Promoting Research Integrity

The CSIC’s Ethics Committee drafted and promoted the National Statement on Research Integrity. The Conference of Rectors of Spanish Universities (CRUE) and the Confederation of Spanish Scientific Societies were encouraged to share the Statement, which was jointly subscribed, and publically released by the three parties.

Contact

Dr. Francisco José (Txetxu) Ausín Díez

Chairman

CSIC ETHICS COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN
Serrano, 117
28006 Madrid - Spain

+916022358

Committee for the Integrity of Research in Catalonia (CIR-CAT)

Founding year

2018

History

After hearing the representatives of the research system in Catalonia, the General Directorate for Research supported and promoted the initiative to create the Programme for the Integrity of Research in Catalonia to be developed by the CIR-CAT.
Eleven members compose the CIR-CAT: Three members nominated by the Minister responsible for research and one member nominated by the Minister responsible for health. Three members nominated by the universities of the Catalan university system by means of the Interuniversity Council of Catalonia (CIC). Two members nominated by the research institutions based in Catalonia by means of the Catalan Association of Research Institutions (ACER), chosen among its associates with the agreement of the Foundation Institution of the Research Centres of Catalonia (I-CERCA). One member nominated by the Minister responsible for research among the universities’ ombudspersons and the equivalent when referred to research centres in Catalonia. One member from a non-profit private entity financing research and outstanding for the quality of its contribution and nominated by the Minister responsible for research in agreement with the entity.

ENRIO member since

2020

Structure

The Government of Catalonia supports the CIR-CAT and the staff of the General Directorate for Research provides the administrative resources needed.
The CIR-CAT has absolute independence from anyone else and works under strict confidential conditions.

Main Tasks

Point 2 of the GOVERNMENT AGREEMENT GOV/118/2018, of 23 October
a) The promotion of best academic practices.
b) The fostering of specific training in the field of best academic practices.
c) The promotion of measures aimed at enhancing research quality.
d) Advice with regard to research integrity disputes that exclusively affect the field of best academic practices.

Investigation

The “Procedure for the admission and processing of communications and applications on scientific integrity” (effective as of 15 May 2020) is published in our web page under the section “Operating documents” and it is too long to be included here.
Any person or institution can contact the CIR-CAT either using an official form or sending a message to bustia.circat.reu@gencat.cat.
Up to now, the CIR-CAT has dealt with three petitions, which have already been closed.

Training

Because of the presentation of the CIR-CAT to the Catalan research and university system, we began to receive the codes of conduct, training programmes, etc. of some institutions. We have started to analyse all this documentation in order to produce specific manuals which, after trying a consensus, may eventually be adopted by our system in a near future
Promoting

Promoting Research Integrity

Once the CIR-CAT has progressed in the elaboration of the above-mentioned manuals, it will be ready to start promoting the research integrity among the members of our system, which have already stated their interest on it.

Contact

Lluís del Cerro

Secretary
+34-935.526.948