Ethics at NUPI
(10 March 2015 – GMM)
All NUPI employees are expected to follow two sets of ethical guidelines, one
for public sector employees and one for research/researchers.
The bullet points below sum up the key aspects of these guidelines and are
meant to assist you in reflecting on the working environment at NUPI,
ensure high research ethics standards and encourage the use of sound
judgment on issues of this kind.
General guidelines
1. NUPI is an open and inclusive workplace free from discrimination and
bullying.
2. We strive to be open and loyal to our colleagues. Constructive feedback is
crucial to a healthy working environment, and everyone should reflect on
whether their behaviour and decisions are conducive to cooperating with
others.
3. The NUPI name should not be used in a manner which could undermine
or erode professional confidence in the institution.
4. NUPI employees should inform NUPI, normally via their immediate
superior, of any second jobs or assignments which may be perceived as
competing with NUPI activities or encroaching on working hours or tasks
at NUPI. If you perform work related to a second job during normal NUPI
working hours, these hours must be made up for.
5. Everything that NUPI does is based on the prudent use of resources, and
employees are expected to comply with this. When cooperating with
partners, NUPI employees should strive to actively prevent the abuse of
funds.
Research guidelines
6. NUPI employees should help create an environment which encourages
sound research, a fruitful culture of discussion and the productive
management of professional disagreement. Criticism should not be stifled
on the pretext of duties of loyalty or obedience.
7. NUPI researchers are free to communicate their research findings and
indeed have a responsibility to do so, as well as to participate in the public
debate in a professional manner.
8.
Professional judgments should be characterised by relevance, objectivity
and transparency.
9.
Due care should be taken when assigning rights and duties in an
application process.
10. Knowledge is a collective good, and as a general rule research findings
should be published. Publishing is important for transparency and
replication.
11. NUPI researchers take privacy concerns seriously and take particular
care when researching other cultures and when handling sensitive or
confidential data. It is the responsibility of the individual researcher to
ensure that privacy regulations are adhered to.
12. As a rule, NUPI is open about its relationship with the originators of and
funding sources for its research projects.
13. NUPI researchers must follow established rules for good citation practice.
These rules also apply to self-citation.
14. When co-authoring in your own field of research, the Vancouver protocol
must be adhered to. It states that only active participation in
publications as described in the protocol merits co-authorship status.
Follow-Up
15. Censurable conditions should be rectified. A separate routine details how
to report these.
16. NUPI has set down a committee which handles accusations of any
violations or suspected scientific misconduct. The committee is comprised
of two internal members appointed by the Group Managers Meeting
(GMM); Stein Sundstøl Eriksen and Hege Medin. Depending on the
nature of the case, the committee can decide to include an additional
external member.
17. All NUPI employees are obliged to acquaint themselves with NUPI’s
ethical regulations and to sign to confirm that they have done so.
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