Alleged violations of research integrity are investigated under the direction of the Rector in accordance with a process defined by the TENK. According to TENK guidelines, the Rector cannot delegate the management of the investigation process to another person.
This means that allegations are not dealt with by internal processes within the faculty or other unit but are brought to the attention of the Rector by written notification.
Suspected violations concerning undergraduate theses, as well as licentiate theses, will not be handled in accordance with the TENK's RI Guidelines, but in accordance with the University's own Ethical guidelines for studying and the processing of academic fraud at the University of Jyväskylä. The updated guidelines came into force in June. The principles of research integrity and good research practices continue to apply to undergraduate theses.
The procedure
The JYU handles alleged violations of the research integrity (RI) according to the RI Guidelines of TENK.
1. A notification to the Rector
The allegation of a violation of the RI must be communicated in writing to the rector via the Registers Office of JYU using the Notification of alleged RCR violations form.
In submitting a notification of an alleged RI violation, the following must be observed:
- The notification is submitted to the organisation where the alleged violation has taken or is taking place or where the person suspected of RI violation works or has worked during the events in question.
- The notification can be submitted only if the organisation in question has committed to the RI guidelines.
- The notification must be sent to the director of the organisation.
- The person submitting the notification does not have to be a researcher or member of the research community.
- The notification is submitted under one’s own name. In problematic situations, the complainant can contact TENK’s Secretary General in advance.
- The complainant must specify in writing any connections they have to the case or the person(s) suspected of violation.
Submitting a malicious notification may in itself be an RI violation.
The notification cannot be made anonymously. Therefore, the notification cannot be made through the university's whistleblowing reporting channel, but in your own name, using the TENK notification form (link above).
All documents sent to the authorities or produced by them are generally public in accordance with The Act on Openness of Government Activities (621/1999).
2. A notification is not submitted to the Rector of the University when:
- The research in question has been carried out or is being carried out in another organisation than JYU.
- It is a question of sincere differences of opinion that result from the interpretations and assessments of research result
It is not a matter of research ethics, but of e.g. legal issues or workplace problems
If you are not sure if it is a question of a violation of responsible conduct of research, please contact the JYU research integrity support: research-integrity@jyu.fi
3. NOTE!
According to TENK, submitting a malicious notification may in itself be an RI violation.
The rector will decide on the potential consequences should the allegations regarding the violation of the RI be unfounded or malicious.
