Funders
From The Embassy of Good Science
ThemesFunders
What is this about?
Funding for research comes from many sources. The responsibility for ensuring that the funds and resources are utilized optimally without any misconduct lies with researchers, the institute’s ethics committee, and the funding organizations. This calls for the development of a code for appropriate utilization of funds, and to ensure academic autonomy, academic integrity, academic freedom and the rights of scholars in academic–industry relationships.
Why is this important?
Financial support for research is often obtained from intramural or extramural grants. Funders also have some responsibility for ensuring that the research they fund is conducted in accordance with relevant laws and good research practices. However, funders’ oversight and reporting standards differ greatly.
Collaborations, particularly those related to funding, also have the potential to influence the way research questions are defined and the results presented. A particular concern involves collaborations between academia and industry-sponsors. Many studies have shown that industry-sponsored studies tend to favor the sponsor. Therefore, the veracity of the funders must be proven, academic autonomy must be ensured, and researchers must be aware that funders can potentially influence research.For whom is this important?
The Embassy Editorial team, Iris Lechner, Stefan Veen, Anna Catharina Armond contributed to this theme. Latest contribution was Mar 25, 2021
