Best Practice Guide for Research Integrity and Ethics (2020), Research Integrity / Research Ethics Working Group of BMBWF

What is this about?

The Best Practice Guide for Research Integrity and Ethics (2020), authored by the Research Integrity / Research Ethics Working Group of BMBWF, serves as Austria’s national framework for fostering responsible research practices. Published in both German and English, it promotes honesty, accountability, professional courtesy, and stewardship, linking these principles to credibility, reproducibility, and public trust in science. The guide outlines the duties of researchers, institutions, funders, and journals, establishing standards for planning, conducting, publishing, and reviewing research. It specifies provisions on authorship, citation, conflict of interest management, data transparency, supervision, and peer review, while also defining misconduct and providing fair, proportionate procedures for handling breaches. Education and training are highlighted as essential to embedding integrity as a core skill. The guide addresses contemporary challenges such as open science, data management, and digital tools, supported by practical resources like checklists and reporting templates. Equity and diversity are integrated as fundamental to credible research environments. By aligning with international standards, the guide enhances comparability, researcher mobility, and global trust.

Why is this important?

Best Practice Guide for Research Integrity and Ethics distils national expectations for research integrity in Austria and clarifies what researchers and institutions in Austria need to do to comply. It reduces ambiguity, aligns local practice with international norms, and offers actionable steps that improve transparency, reproducibility, and equitable access. For policy leads, it is a benchmark; for authors and administrators, it is a practical checklist. Published by Research Integrity / Research Ethics Working Group of BMBWF in 2020, it is a credible reference to cite in institutional policies, training, and grant documentation.

For whom is this important?

All stakeholders in research

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