Training Course in Research Ethics/ Integrity - 6th Edition

May 11, 13, 18, 20, 25, 27; June 1, 3, 8 | Hybrid (Online & Classroom Sessions)

This course aims at providing the participants with knowledge and skills of research ethics/integrity. With a broad program on various topics, the course will promote the discussion of case studies within a reflective approach, bearing in mind that this is a field of knowledge with a strong impact on work environment and effective team work. By understanding and critically debating research ethics/integrity-specific issues, the participants will not only increase their awareness and knowledge of the given topics, but they will also be able to design alternative procedures, deliberate on ethical issues and prevent misconduct and questionable practices. Due to a growing number of scientific fraud reported cases, many documents and guidelines have been issued by the European Community. However, the answer to this problem cannot be restricted to norms and regulatory measures, since without reflective training, this normative approach will fall short of its objectives. Lifelong training in research ethics/integrity is required in order to refocus the attention on good practices, healthy work-life balance, effective team work and reliable science. The Course will use material and strategies from the Embassy of Good Science and the Integrity Project, always aligning with the Horizon Europe guidelines in research ethics. The course will be blended-learning. The online sessions will consolidate the content shared in the in-person sessions and provide participants with the opportunity to interact and discuss ethical and integrity issues based on case studies.

Target audience: PhD students, PhD holders and Senior Researchers in Biomedical Sciences/ Social Sciences and Humanities/ and other fields of knowledge interested in Ethics and Integrity of research; academic staff and other stakeholders of the scientific system.

Requirements: Personal laptop will be necessary to the online sessions.

Course duration: 20 hours of lectures plus 15 hours of individual study for class preparation. Total amount of 35 hours.

Format: Online sessions and classroom lectures combined.

Language: This course will be lectured mainly in Portuguese (pedagogical material will be in English and one of the seminars will also be in English)

Course organizer: Susana Magalhães, Unit for Responsible Conduct in Research, i3S

Poster >>

Session 1. Good Research/er: what it is and why it matters
Classroom session: 11.05.2026, 14:30-17:30 | Speaker: Susana Magalhães (i3S-UP)
Online session: 13.05.2026, 09:30-11:00 

Objectives:

• To stimulate reflection about the meaning of Ethics & Integrity, good research and good researcher by using different cases and methodologies of the European Projects Virt2UE and Integrity.
• To discuss current ethical issues in research and how they can be prevented/ addressed and mitigated.

Session 2. Open Science, Reproducibility and Data Management
Classroom session: 18.05.2026, 14:30-17:30 | Speaker: Tracey Lynn Weissgerber /Universidade de Coimbra
Online session: 20.05.2026, 09:30-11:00 | Speaker: Pedro Príncipe (UMinho)

Objectives:

• To raise awareness on the meaning of terms and concepts, such as: replication, reproducibility and open science and to promote reflection and discussion on case studies.
• To discuss the importance of making good data management plans (DMP) and to to provide information on useful tools for DMPs and Open Science.

Session 3. Authorship | Publication Ethics (Predatory Journals)
Classroom Session: 25.05.2026, 14:30-17:30 | Speaker: Ricardo Reis dos Santos (FMUL)
Online session: 27.05.2026, 09:30-11.00 | Speaker: Susana Magalhães (i3S-UP)

Objectives:

• To raise awareness on the integrity issues related with citation and publication biases and its impact on research career and (un)healthy ethical culture.
• To discuss good practices and misconduct related to authorship and predatory journals.

Session 4. Research Misconduct and Unacceptable Practices (in Human and Animal Experiments)
Classroom session: 01.06.2026, 14:30-17:30 | Speaker: Susana Magalhães (i3S-UP)
Online Session: 03.06.2026, 09:30-11:00 | Speaker: Anna Olsson (i3S-UP) 

Objectives:

• To get accurate knowledge of the meaning of Research Misconduct (Falsification, Fabrication and Plagiarism) and to discuss real and hypothetical situations related to questionable/unacceptable research practices.
• To share good practices in human and animal experiments.
• To discuss the meaning of ethics and integrity in research based on the concept of organizational culture.
• To analyze the factors (including cognitive biases) that might contribute to misconduct and questionable/unacceptable practices.

Session 5. AI in Research: a multilayered approach
Online round-table: 08.06.2026, 9:30 – 11.30 | Speakers: TBA

Objective: to explore the challenges and the opportunities of the use of AI in the academy and in science by focusing on three different perspectives: science and technology; politics and law; ethics&integrity.

The registration in modules is not possible. It is only possible the register in the full course.

Fees:
i3S / P.CCC Raquel Seruca members - 20€
UP members - 45€
External participants - 95€
Registration and payment deadline: 25 March 2026

Registration form >>

Certificates: A certificate of attendance will be issued at the end of the course to participants that attend 80% of the whole course.

Cancelation policy:
The i3S will apply the following cancelation policy.

Cancellation by the course participant
In case a registered participant wishes to cancel a paid registration or does not attend the course, the registration fee will not be refunded.
Substitutions will only be made in exceptional circumstances at the discretion of the course organisers.

Cancellation by the Institution
The i3S reserves the right to cancel the course, in case of an insufficient number of participants, organizational reasons, or other unforeseeable events that render the execution of the course impossible. In case of cancellation by the organization, the fee will be refunded. In addition, i3S reserves the right to amend course times, dates or published prices if absolutely necessary. The organizer shall immediately inform the pre-registered participants of these alterations. Any cancellation or substitution requests should be requested by e-mail.

More information:
Advanced Training Unit | E-mail: training@i3s.up.pt | Tel: +351 226 074 900