whistleblowers – RIPE – RESEARCH INTEGRITY PRACTICE IN EUROPE

The Lithuanian Responsible Research Barometer 2022 signals the need for systemic changes

In Lithuania, national guidelines are well-known and knowledge of ethics is considered important, but research malpractice is rarely reported or resolved.

Julija Umbrasaitė and Eglė Ozolinčiūtė

In 2022, the Office of the Ombudsperson for Academic Ethics and Procedures (Office) in Lithuania conducted the second Responsible Research Barometer survey. It was adapted from the questionnaire developed by the Finnish National Board on Research Integrity TENK. This survey reviews the current ethical practice of research conduct and publication in Lithuanian universities, colleges of higher education, and research institutes (Research and Higher Education Institutions, i.e. RHEIs). The survey, consisting of 23 questions, was filled in by doctoral students and researchers (lecturers, scientists and other researchers working in RHEIs) (N=310). To understand the current trends in the RHEIs, the results were compared with the results of the earlier study “Responsible Research Barometer 2020” (Ozolinčiūtė et al. 2020).

A Portrait of a Whistleblower in Europe

Whistleblowers have various motivations and roles. Mostly they are researchers who suffer from the consequences of research integrity violations, but this is not always the case.

Sanna-Kaisa Spoof

Since 2017, the European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity has recommended that those involved in research misconduct investigations must be protected. As the code states,

Procedures are conducted confidentially to protect those involved in the investigation, and
Institutions protect the rights of ‘whistleblowers’ during investigations and ensure that their career prospects are not endangered.

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Research Integrity Practice in Europe (RIPE) is an open-access bulletin that provides practical information on research integrity and research ethics in Europe. We publish short and informative articles primarily in English. As a practice-oriented publication series, this bulletin assists research integrity practitioners in their work, serves as a resource to the general public, and complements the theoretical and scholarly-oriented discourse on research integrity, research ethics and good scientific practice.