Committee for Ethical and Responsible Conduct of Research
i3S is committed to upholding responsible conduct of research and of service provision. With these standards in mind, i3S has already implemented a series of codes or abides by regulations and decrees, such as:
1. Compliance with Decreto-Lei 80/2018 (revision of Decreto-Lei nr. 97/95); Clinical Research Ethics Committees
2. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR – EU)
3. Compliance with Código Ético de Conduta Académica da UPorto
4. Strict observance of the i3S Authorship Guidelines
Other guiding documents are:
1. Compliance with The European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity
2. Declaration on research integrity in responsible research and innovation
As of now, i3S runs a supervising and counselling committee for ethical and responsible conduct of research.
CECRI (Comissão de Ética e Conduta Responsável na Investigação | Committee for Ethical and Responsible Conduct of Research) aims to establish and ingrain in i3S a culture of responsible conduct; this is mostly an advisory and educational body, which combines ethical aspects and issues of scientific integrity and should soon expand by including a management office appointed to handle matters related to ethics and integrity. CECRI and corresponding management office are bound to:
- Disseminate and supervise the implementation of the University of Porto’s Ethical Code for Responsible Conduct of Research;
- Establish the general principles to be heeded by the institution with regard to the proper responsible conduct of research;
- Offer an expert perspective on the observance of ethical regulations and responsible conduct of research whenever research projects or protocols are up for approval that entails the collection and/or use of human material or data;
- Coordinate with the existing Animal Welfare and Ethics Committee;
- Identify other organs with authority to follow through with approval procedures, such as data protection, animal use, research in a clinical setting and so forth;
- Review approval processes carried out by external structures of projects including significant participation of i3S groups or researchers;
- Oversee the development of projects and procedures authorized by the Committee or external entities;
- Oversee the implementation of internal guidelines in responsible conduct of research;
- Promote training actions on vital areas pertaining to bioethics and responsible conduct of research, as well as other scientific activities and consequent results dissemination;
- Promote other discussion initiatives centred on ethical and responsible conduct of research issues relevant to the research carried out at i3S;
- Look into allegations of scientific misconduct and advise the i3S Board of Directors on the best course of action for such situations.
