Code of Ethics for Academia Sinica Research Fellows
and Research Specialists
Passed by the 2nd Council of Academia Sinica on March 19, 2015
Promulgated by Human Affairs Document No. 1040504068 on May 29, 2015
This Code of Ethics is enacted by Academia Sinica, complying with the
legitimate reason and the spirit of self-discipline commonly shared by the
academic communities, in order to protect academic freedom, to practice
academic autonomy, to create an excellent academic environment, and to
pursue outstanding academic research development. This Code of Ethics
establishes explicit handling mechanism and legitimate deliberation
procedures that shall be agreed and obeyed as contract clauses by research
fellows and research specialists at Academia Sinica.
1. This Code of Ethics is enacted by Academia Sinica in order to fulfill the
missions regulated in Article 2 of the Organization Act of Academia
Sinica, to protect academic freedom, to practice academic autonomy, to
create an excellent academic environment, and to pursue outstanding
development. This Code of Ethics shall be agreed and obeyed as
contract clauses by research fellows and research specialists (below
abbreviated as Academia Sinica research fellows).
2. Academia Sinica research fellows shall aim to pursue the truth, discover
new knowledge, explicate human civilization, contribute to the
academic research and face honestly the deficiency and limitation of
handling knowledge development.
3. Academia Sinica research fellows shall respect and treat all staff fairly.
Unreasonable differential treatment and discrimination against other
staff on political grounds, or for reasons of economic power, religion,
belief, race, language, position, sexual orientation, nationality, exterior,
marital status, physical or mental disability and genetic information are
unacceptable.
4. Academia Sinica research fellows shall respect the expression and
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interchange of different opinions, and shall not exclude any specific
opinion.
Academia Sinica research fellows shall fulfill academic achievement
with the safe and efficient methods. They shall adhere to the related
regulations of Academia Sinica on research activities, and shall not
engage in embezzlement, fraud, academic plagiarism and other
behaviors that violate the code of research ethics in the
professional field.
Academia Sinica research fellows shall protect the freedom and
independence of academic research on the basis of honesty and
conscience. They shall disclose all the sponsorships received for the
research. The research integrity shall not be influenced by a conflict of
interest.
Academia Sinica research fellows shall maintain good communication
in the academic community of Academia Sinica, and shall not engage in
the behaviors that influence academic activities and work environment
in Academia Sinica.
Academia Sinica research fellows who violate this Code of Ethics shall
be sent by the unit’s supervisor, ex officio or upon the request, to the
Divisional Ethics Committee for deliberation. Those who are not
satisfied with the deliberation results from the Divisional Ethics
Committee, a re-deliberation may be raised to the General Ethics
Committee of Academic Sinica. When it is necessary, the President of
Academia Sinica may refer the case to the Divisional Ethics Committee
for deliberation. The resolution shall be approved and promulgated by
the President of Academia Sinica after it is voted and passed. The
establishment and the regulations governing the Ethics Committees of
Academia Sinica at various levels shall be stipulated elsewhere.
Those who violate this Code of Ethics and are determined by the Ethics
Committee may be required to take the consequence as below in
accordance with the seriousness of the case:
(1) Written warning.
(2) Revocation of the awards given by Academia Sinica.
(3) Limitation to the application of academic activities and research
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projects.
(4) Banned from using the academic administration resources.
(5) Banned from taking the concurrent position as supervisor at
Academia Sinica or institute (preparation office, center),
administrator and committee member.
(6) Academic research performance may not be assessed higher than
Grade 2.
(7) Position retained without pay.
(8) Those who commit severe infractions of this Code of Ethics and are
determined as ineligibility for research work would receive contract
termination before the expiration date.
10. When the Ethics Committees of Academia Sinica at various levels
deliberates on a case of violation, the person involved shall be given an
opportunity to state the opinions. More than 2/3 of the committee
members shall be present, and the passage of deliberation requires
consents from half the members present at the deliberative meeting.
However, the cases of termination of contract before the expiration
date require consents from more than half the committee members.
11. Those who do not accept the punishment from Academia Sinica may
seek remedy in accordance with the regulations.
12. This Code of Ethics and the amendments thereof have been passed by
the Council of Academia Sinica and approved and promulgated by the
President of Academia Sinica.
Note: The Chinese text of this Code of Ethics shall be deemed the original. In the event of
any dispute or misunderstanding as to the interpretation of the language or terms of
this Code of Ethics, the Chinese language version shall control.
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