1. Area of responsibilities and activities
1.1 Evaluation of Research Misconduct
The Research Ethics Committee (“The committee”) is UiO’s Committee for the Investigation of Research Misconduct pursuant to § 6 second section of the research ethics act.
The committee is professionally independent as per § 3 of the Research Ethics Act, and cannot be instructed. The committee should process and in writing comment on notified cases concerning possible violations of recognized norms of research ethics involving persons who have or have had an association to UiO. All (persons and units) - internal and external - have the right to report cases.
The Research Ethics Committee may address any case on its own authority. As needed, the committee may appoint an Ad hoc-committee with members from Research Ethics Committee and the The Commission for Research Integrity at the Department of Clinical medicine at the Faculty of Medicine, the University of Oslo, Oslo University hospital HF and Akershus University hospital HF, which will have a delegated competence of comments. The committee may also appoint experts to assess the factual circumstances.
In the processing of cases the committee should always decide on the following:
- Whether the researcher has committed scientific misconduct or not
- Whether there system errors at the institution and
- Whether the scientific work should be corrected or withdrawn
The processing of cases should be in line with the Procedure for the handling of cases of possible violence of recognized norms on research ethics at the UiO.
1.2 Advice on research ethics
The Research Ethics Committee provide advice for work in research ethics.
The committee should through information work promote knowledge on questions pertaining to research ethics and contribute to research at the university being conducted in accordance with recognized norms of research ethics.
2. Composition and appointment
The Research Ethics Committee shall be composed of five members, of which one external member, with personal deputy members. One of the members shall be a lawyer, and at least one of the members should have competence of research ethics, ref. the Research Ethics Act, §6, second section.
The members should have a wide background from research and experience from governing bodies relevant to research. The composition of members of the committee should in addition reflect the width of the research which the institutions represent. The committee may be supplemented as needed. Both sexes should be represented.
The members of the committee and the deputy members are appointed by the rector for a period of three years at a time, with a possibility for reappointments.
The committee is able to make decisions when two thirds, at least three out of five members of the committee, are present. In case of disagreement regarding the conclusion of the statement, the decision will have to be made by a complete committee. Disagreement regarding the conclusion must be expressed in the committee’s statement.
3. Meetings
The Research Ethics Committee decides itself how often the Committee shall meet. Summons and protocols will be provided on the website of the Committee.
4. Reporting and access
The Committee should provide an annual report on its activities for the university leadership. The statements of the Committee should be published in an anonymized form.
The activities of the Committee should be within the framework of the rules securing privacy protection pursuant to the applicable regulations and be open to public access.