"Our words can spell the end of academic careers, so we must be thorough"
On 1 July, the Research Practice Committee at Aarhus University marks its 25th anniversary. At the same time, we say goodbye to Professor Palle Bo Madsen from the Department of Law, who has chaired the committee since its inception.
Measured by the number of complaints filed with Aarhus University’s Research Practice Committee, it is reasonable to say that the research practices of Aarhus University are in a good place. In the first 15 years, the Research Practice Committee considered nine suspected cases of questionable research practices. For the past ten years, the figure is approximately 30.
It should be noted that these days the Research Practice Committee only considers cases concerning so-called “questionable research practices”, while the Danish Board considers on Research Misconduct considers cases concerning actual misconduct.
Palle Bo Madsen, professor at the Department of Law and committee chair, stresses that this is indeed a very small number of cases given the high level of research activity at Aarhus University. However, for individuals finding themselves being investigated, the cases loom large. The Research Practice Committee therefore always strives to process the cases as quickly as possible, says Palle Bo Madsen.
“Research is a lifelong investment, so there’s a lot at stake if you’re are accused of questionable research practices, or worse. Our job is to investigate each and every case and make a recommendation to the rector, who then makes a decision. Our words can spell the end of academic careers, so we must be thorough.”
Funders called for contingency procedures
On 1 July, it is 25 years since the Research Practice Committee was established at Aarhus University – in response to a combination of internal and external needs, as Palle Bo Madsen puts it:
“A number of major foreign funders had started demanding that contingency procedures be put in place for handling possible breaches of responsible research practices, particularly within the health sciences, and at the same time a specific case had caused Aarhus University to consider taking steps in the same direction. The senior management team therefore decided to establish the Research Practice Committee – the first of its kind in Denmark – even though the universities were not yet required by law to do so,” says Palle Bo Madsen.
As a professor of law and pro-rector at the time, he was one of the initiators behind the Research Practice Committee, which he has chaired ever since (and will continue to chair until 1 September this year).
Over the past 25 years, the Research Practice Committee has dealt with cases of suspected violations of responsible conduct of research. Originally, the committee could handle all types of cases where doubts were raised about the integrity of research. Today, the Research Practice Committee concerns itself with the grey areas where research does not meet the recognised norms and standards for openness, transparency and honesty specific to a particular academic field.
Only cases resting on a solid academic foundation are considered by the Research Practice Committee. The committee does concern itself with personal conflicts, although it can sometimes be difficult to separate the professional from the personal.
“It’s the chicken and the egg. Does a personal conflict arise as a result of research disputes – or is it the other way around? But we only ever consider cases concerning responsible conduct of research,” says Palle Bo Madsen.
Advisors serving as filters
Often cases involving disputes of an academic nature among colleagues are initially referred to the advisers appointed by the faculties to the advisory group for responsible conduct of research.
“Among other things, the advisers are able to filter personal issues from academic ones. Talking to an adviser can provide clarity and lead to mediation between the warring parties. But we also consider cases in the Research Practice Committee because one of the parties has been advised to file a complaint,” says Palle Bo Madsen.
Sloppy, inadequate presentation of data and failure to cite sources or credit other researchers are typical grievances in cases concerning possible breaches of responsible research practices that the Research Practice Committee has dealt with over the years. Most complaints used to come from researchers complaining about other researchers at Aarhus University. But in recent years, complaints have also been filed by ordinary people outside the research world, according to Palle Bo Madsen.
“For example, complaints about research that has been covered in the media and which has attracted a lot of political interest. In such cases, citizens may complain on the grounds that the research project is untrustworthy – sometimes simply because they do not like the results.”
The Research Practice Committee has, for example, considered a complaint from a citizen concerning questionable research practices on the grounds simply that the research was financed by a private foundation with special interests. According to the complainant, this meant that the results were inherently unreliable.
“The complainant was right that the research was paid for by a specific funder, which goes for a lot of research today. And that’s precisely why the university has laid down a set of principles for the responsible conduct of research, including rules on transparency and arm’s length, which all researchers are trained in and must adhere to. Our research practices are not questionable just because much of our research is paid for by external parties, but as a university we have a job to do in communicating and explaining this to the outside world,” says Palle Bo Madsen.
Sloppiness rather than plagiarism
The vast majority of cases dealt with by the committee can be divided into two categories. One concerns disagreements about authorship or failure to credit other researchers.
“We’ve seen no cases of outright plagiarism and deliberate attempts to cheat, and today plagiarism actually falls under the jurisdiction of the Danish Board on Research Misconduct. What we have seen are cases where researchers have not clearly stated their sources, even though they are building on the work of others. “They’ve simply been sloppy with their references,” says Palle Bo Madsen.
The second category is researchers who have not presented the data that allegedly formed the basis of their published results.
“Over the years, we’ve seen cases of researchers who have been unable or unwilling to present their data. By making it impossible to verify research results, researchers can be guilty of questionable research practices.
Healthy research culture
With less than 40 cases in 25 years in a world characterised by demands for efficiency, intensifying competition for funding and publish-or-perish pressures, Palle Bo Madsen is optimistic when it comes to the upholding of honest research practices. At the same time, he points out that many of the cases handled have resulted in the research practice in question not being found to be “questionable”. In the most recent five-year period 2020–2024, the Research Practice Committee considered 16 reports on their merits, and found no grounds for criticism in 11 of the cases.
“I would say that Aarhus University has a healthy research culture with a high level of awareness of the importance of honest and responsible research conduct. This is greatly helped by the mandatory courses in the responsible conduct of research that all PhD students must do today. But, of course, I don’t know if some of our researchers are just quietly gritting their teeth so as not to ruin their own careers,” says Palle Bo Madsen, alluding to the relationship between PhD students and their supervisors.
There is often a delicate balance to be struck. This is reflected in a number of cases heard by the Research Practice Committee.
“There’s a power imbalance. We’ve seen examples of PhD students who did not complain until they had left the institution. That says something about how distressing these cases can be.”
The Research Practice Committee therefore still has an important role to play, he believes.
“A university is made up of individuals in various positions of power, which can lead to imbalances and very difficult situations for those involved. In the Research Practice Committee, we endeavour to assess conflicts as objectively as possible in order to arrive at a fair decision for everybody involved. Even if it could end with a sanction,” says Palle Bo Madsen.
After 25 years, Palle Bo Madsen is now stepping down as chair of the Research Practice Committee.
“I will certainly continue to take an interest, but not as much as before. I’m certain that the committee will continue to build the trust that is the foundation of all research.”
Professor Birgitte Egelund Olsen from the Department of Law will be taking over from Palle Bo Madsen as chair of the Research Practice Committee on 1 September.
Read more about the Research Practice Committee here: