The aim of the Research Ethics Council (Forskningsetiska rådet, FER) is to increase knowledge concerning research ethical issues using information, seminars, and other types of education. FER also assesses and investigates suspected research misconduct or other deviations from good research practice. FER has an advisory role to the Vice-Chancellor.
The mission statement of FER includes to:
Proactively
- increase research ethical awareness at the University in all education cycles.
- provide advice and recommendations on issues that concern research ethics, e.g. related to ethical review or other research ethical aspects of a research project.
- organise seminars with a research ethical perspective to stimulate ethical attitudes and debates about ethical issues.
- make information about such issues available on the University’s website.
- initiate updates to policy documents within its remit.
- initiate the development of new policy documents as required, in relation to research ethical issues.
Reactively
- enable an initial dialog in those cases where there is suspected research misconduct or other deviations from good research practice
- assist the Vice-Chancellor in preparation and collection of materials from researchers in those cases where research misconducted is suspected, in order to supply those materials to the Swedish National Board for Assessment of Research Misconduct (Nämnden för prövning av oredlighet i forskning, Npof). The Vice-Chancellor is formally responsible for reporting suspected research misconduct and providing materials to Npof.
- investigate cases that are not labelled as research misconduct (and therefore not tried in Npof) but that are suspected to deviate from good research practice.
The Research Ethics Council consists of:
- Börje Boers, Associate Professor in Business Administration; representative of the Faculty Board
- Masood Fathi, Associate Professor of Production Engineering, School of Engineering Science
- Simon Lidberg, Industry-employed doctoral student in Informatics, School of Engineering Science; student representative at research level
- Zelmina Lubovac, Deputy Head of School/Senior Lecturer, School of Bioscience
- Eva Söderström, Associate Professor of Computer Science, School of Informatics; Council Chair
- Homa Tajsharghi, Professor of Biomedicine, School of Health Sciences
- Christer Thörnqvist, Senior Lecturer in Business Administration and Senior Lecturer in Occupational Science, School of Business.
The term of office for the members is from 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2025.
The Research Ethics Council welcomes all questions within the area of research ethics.
See also
Research ethics and good research practice