• Section 1 - Background and Purpose
• Section 2 - Scope
• Section 3 - Policy Statement
• Section 4 - Procedure
• Section 5 - Definitions
• Section 6 - Stakeholders

Section 1 - Background and Purpose

(1) This Policy determines the framework for the responsible conduct of research and for compliance with the regulatory environment for La Trobe University and its staff and students who engage in research.

Section 2 - Scope

(2) Applies to:

1. All La Trobe campuses and facilities
2. All La Trobe research, including research conducted under any arrangements with third parties
3. All La Trobe staff and students who engage in research 

Section 3 - Policy Statement

(3) La Trobe University is committed to excellence in research and to the values and principles which underpin research integrity – honesty, objectivity, duty of care, fairness, accuracy,  and good stewardship of research. La Trobe researchers and research trainees are expected to adhere to responsible research practice as established by the University in reference to the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research (2018), the Singapore Statement on Research Integrity (2010) and other relevant state and federal legislation.

(4) The specific expectations of all researchers at La Trobe are outlined in the University policies, procedures and guidelines that form part of the University’s research integrity governance framework. All researchers and research trainees are expected to comply with these policies, in particular and as relevant, all requirements relating to biosafety, biosecurity and gene technology; the ethical conduct of research; export controls of dual-use goods, the management of research data; supervision of students engaged in research; publication and dissemination of research findings; authorship; peer review; declaring conflicts of interest; and managing cross-institutional research collaborations.

(5) Research will be supported through the operations of institutional committees: Animal Ethics Committee; La Trobe Institutional Biosafety Committee; and Human Research Ethics Committee and sub-committees, which approve and monitor relevant research activity.  

(6) The University will provide resources and training to support responsible research practice.  Supervisors of graduate researchers have a responsibility to ensure that candidates receive all relevant training for the responsible conduct of their research.

(7) The University will provide a network of Research Integrity Advisors to assist staff and students with research integrity concerns. Questionable research practice and suspected breaches of the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research, or of any University research policies or procedures will be managed under the Research Misconduct Procedure, or the Research Integrity - Higher Degree Student Research Misconduct Procedure, as appropriate.

(8) The University will also provide, through the Research Office, dedicated professional support services and personnel to facilitate and improve research integrity at La Trobe.
 

Section 4 - Procedure

(9) Refer to the:

1. Research Animal Ethics Procedure
2. Research Integrity - Higher Degree Student Research Misconduct Procedure
3. Research Biosafety and Biosecurity Procedure
4. Research Human Ethics Procedure
5. Research Misconduct Procedure

Section 5 - Definitions

(10) For the purpose of this Policy:

1. Ethical review body: body established to carry out, where required, ethical review of research
2. Research: The creation of new knowledge and/or the use of existing knowledge in a new and creative way so as to generate new concepts, methodologies, inventions and understandings.

Section 6 - Stakeholders