<p>Research integrity (RI) is a part of the self-regulation of the academic community, which is bound by legislation. It is also a part of the quality assurance system of research organisations.&nbsp;Each researcher and member of a research group is primarily responsible for adhering to the principles of research integrity, but the responsibility extends also to the entire scientific community.</p>

<h3>Research integrity includes</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Integrity, meticulousness, and accuracy in conducting all phases of the study</li>
	<li>Ethical and sustainable data acquisition, research and evaluation methods</li>
	<li>Openness and responsible science communication when&nbsp;reporting research findings</li>
	<li>Taking due account of the work and achievements of other researchers, e.g. in citing their publications appropriately</li>
	<li>Complying with the standards set for scientific knowledge in planning and conducting research</li>
	<li>Acquiring necessary research permits and preliminary ethical review statement when necessary for the research in question</li>
	<li>Agreeing (within a research project or group in a way that all parties approve)&nbsp; on the researchers’ rights, principles concerning authorship, responsibilities and obligations, and questions concerning achieving and accessing the data</li>
	<li>Announcing sources of financing, conflicts of interest or other commitments to all research project members as well as&nbsp;in reporting research results</li>
	<li>Refraining from all research-related evaluation and decision-making situations where there is reason to suspect conflict of interest</li>
	<li>Adhering to good personnel and financial administration practices and taking into account the data protection legislation</li>
</ul>

<p>Research integrity needs to be complied with when working as a researcher, teacher, instructor, applicant for research funding or position, and in expert assignments. The guidelines also apply to teaching materials, statements, evaluations, CVs and publication lists, as well as to societal interaction in both printed and electronic publication channels, including the social media.</p>

<p><a data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="2547d999-3d07-4cb4-8fef-426d1c30e56c" href="/en/node/37564?channel=main_site">Tampere University Doctoral School</a> organizes teaching and seminars in research integrity&nbsp;and research ethics more generally.</p>


Research integrity

<p>In Finland, violations of good research practices are divided into two categories: <strong>research misconduct</strong> (fabrication, falsification and plagiarism) and <strong>disregard for good research practices</strong>. Research misconduct and disregard are considered violations of research integrity when they are severe. The severity is assessed on a case-by-case basis. An RI violation meets one of the following criteria (RI Guidelines 2023, p. 16):</p>

<ul>
	<li>Serious intentional activity that violates research integrity</li>
	<li>Activity in which research integrity has been seriously neglected due to indifference or carelessness when principles of RI could have been followed</li>
	<li>Activity in which research integrity has been seriously neglected due to ignorance and unawareness of RI principles and guidelines in force</li>
</ul>

<p>All misconduct and disregard are not severe enough to be categorized as RI violations. Differences of opinion and scientific disagreements are not violations of good research practices. A false and malicious allegation of an RI violation can be an RI violation in itself.</p>

<p>Alleged violations of research integrity are handled according to the RI process defined in the RI Guidelines.</p>


RI violation

<p>At Tampere university, the President is responsible for the RI process.</p>

<p>RI process follows the same process in all Finnish institutions of higher education. The process consists of three phases: a written notification, preliminary inquiry and the investigation proper. The process is described in the RI guidelines.</p>

<p>It is recommended to use the notification form provided by TENK for notifying of an alleged violation. The filled form is submitted to the director of the institution: the President in the case of Tampere University.</p>

<figure role="group"><div class="embedded-file"><svg height="25" width="25" aria-hidden="true" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 24 24"><polygon points="22 18 22 20 2 20 2 18 0 18 0 20 0 22 2 22 22 22 24 22 24 20 24 18 22 18"></polygon><polygon points="12 18 18.55 11.46 17.09 10 13 14.09 13 2 11 2 11 14.09 6.91 10 5.46 11.46 12 18"></polygon></svg><span class="visually-hidden">Download</span><a href="https://content-webapi.tuni.fi/proxy/public/2023-06/notification-form-for-an-alleged-ri-violation_2023.pdf"><span>Notification form for an alleged RI violation 2023 (PDF)</span></a></div></figure>

<p>Ethical guidelines and handling allegations of misconduct&nbsp;related to theses are described on the page&nbsp;<a data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="858e811d-ca04-45af-85b5-f21254e3ea93" href="/en/node/3063?channel=main_site">Guidelines for academic ethics and procedures for handling allegations of misconduct at Tampere University</a>.&nbsp;RI process is applied for a thesis when it has been submitted for assessment or passed as a study attainment even if it hasn't been published.</p>

<h3>Research Integrity Advisers</h3>

<p>Research integrity advisers provide confidential guidance in alleged violations of research integrity. They do not participate in the preliminary inquiries or investigations.</p>

<p>The following persons are the research integrity advisers in Tampere Universities: Professor&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.tuni.fi/en/seppo-nikkari">Seppo Nikkari</a> </strong>(MET), Professor&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tuni.fi/en/jari-nurmi"><strong>Jari Nurmi</strong></a> (ITC), Professor&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tuni.fi/en/teemu-ojanen"><strong>Teemu Ojanen</strong></a> (ENS),&nbsp;Senior Specialist&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.tuni.fi/en/ville-t-rantanen">Ville Rantanen</a></strong> (Research and Innovation Services), University Lecturer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tuni.fi/en/kristina-rolin"><strong>Kristina Rolin</strong></a> (SOC), Associate Professor (tenure track)&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tuni.fi/en/jonathon-taylor"><strong>Jonathon Taylor</strong></a> (BEN), and University Lecturer&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.tuni.fi/en/hanna-vilkka">Hanna Vilkka</a> </strong>(EDU).</p>


Handling alleged violations of RI in Tampere University 

<p>TAMK RI process comply with <a href="https://tenk.fi/sites/default/files/2023-05/RI_Guidelines_2023.pdf">The Finnish Code of Conduct for Research Integrity and Procedures for Handling Alleged Violations of Research Integrity (TENK, 2023)</a>. The process is standardised and it includes three phases: a written notification, preliminary inquiry and the investigation proper.&nbsp;President of Tampere University of Applied Sciences is in charge of the process for handling alleged violations of RI in TAMK.</p>

<p>The complainant submits the notification of an alleged RI violation in their own name using TENK’s <a href="https://content-webapi.tuni.fi/proxy/public/2023-06/notification-form-for-an-alleged-ri-violation_2023.pdf">notification form</a>. The RI process begins when the organisation receives a notification of an alleged RI violation. A detailed information of the RI procedures and phases can be found on: <a href="https://tenk.fi/sites/default/files/2023-05/RI_Guidelines_2023.pdf">https://tenk.fi/sites/default/files/2023-05/RI_Guidelines_2023.pdf</a></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h3><strong>Research Integrity Adviser</strong></h3>

<p>Research integrity advisers provide confidential guidance in suspected violations of research integrity. At TAMK, please contact Principal Lecturer <a href="https://www.tuni.fi/en/pia-keiski"><strong>Pia Keiski</strong></a>.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Additional information can be found on <a href="https://tenk.fi/en/research-misconduct/responsible-conduct-research-rcr">web pages of at Finnish National Board on Research Integrity TENK</a>.</p>

<figure role="group"><div class="embedded-file"><svg height="25" width="25" aria-hidden="true" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 24 24"><polygon points="22 18 22 20 2 20 2 18 0 18 0 20 0 22 2 22 22 22 24 22 24 20 24 18 22 18"></polygon><polygon points="12 18 18.55 11.46 17.09 10 13 14.09 13 2 11 2 11 14.09 6.91 10 5.46 11.46 12 18"></polygon></svg><span class="visually-hidden">Download</span><a href="https://content-webapi.tuni.fi/proxy/public/2023-06/notification-form-for-an-alleged-ri-violation_2023.pdf"><span>Notification form for an alleged RI violation 2023 (PDF)</span></a></div></figure>


Handling alleged violations of RI in Tampere University of Applied Sciences

<p>In Finland, researchers in all disciplines are required to adhere to the following general ethical principles:</p>

<ol>
	<li>Researchers must respect the dignity and autonomy of human research participants. The rights laid down in the Finnish Constitution (1999/731, Sections 6–23) are held by everybody. These include the right to life, personal liberty and integrity, freedom of movement, freedom of religion, freedom of expression, protection of property and the right to privacy.<br>
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Researchers must respects material and immaterial cultural heritage and biodiversity. In accordance with Section 17 of the Finnish Constitution, the Sami, as an indigenous people, as well as the Roma and other groups have the right to maintain and develop their own language and culture.<br>
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Research must be conducted in a way that does not cause significant risks, damage or harm to research participants, communities or other subjects.</li>
</ol>

<p>In Finland all scientific research must comply with the guidelines on research integrity drawn up by TENK.</p>

<p>Section 16 of the Finnish Constitution safeguards the freedom of science and arts. This freedom must be used responsibly.</p>

<h2>Medical Research</h2>

<p>Medical research is regulated under Finland’s Medical Research Act (<a href="https://finlex.fi/fi/laki/ajantasa/1999/19990488">488/1999</a>) and related regulations. The <a href="https://www.tays.fi/en-US/Research_and_development/Ethics_Committee">Ethics Committee of&nbsp;the Wellbeing Services County of Pirkanmaa</a> provides ethical reviews of medical research conducted on humans, human embyos and foetuses in the Pirkanmaa, Kanta-Häme, Päijät-Häme and South Ostrobothnia Hospital Districts.</p>

<h2>Non-Medical Research</h2>

<p>Guidelines for non-medical research in the field of the human sciences are set in&nbsp;the <a href="https://www.tenk.fi/sites/tenk.fi/files/Ihmistieteiden_eettisen_ennakkoarvioinnin_ohje_2019.pdf">Ethical principles of research with human participants and ethical review in the human sciences in Finland</a> (pdf) issued by the Finnish National Board on Research Integrity (TENK) in 2019.</p>

<p>These guidelines apply not only to humanities and social sciences but also to scientific and technological research involving human subjects, artistic research and in some cases to non-invasive health and medical research.</p>

<p>In non-medical research in the field of the human sciences one needs to take into account the following things which are briefly clarified below.</p>

<ul>
	<li>Permission to Carry Out Research</li>
	<li>Information Sheet</li>
	<li>Informed Consent</li>
	<li>Handling of Personal Information and Data Protection</li>
	<li>Statement from an Ethical Committee</li>
</ul>

<h2>Permission to Carry Out Research</h2>

<p>See the section <em>Research permissions and decisions to disclose data based on a data request for research purposes</em>&nbsp;on this page.</p>

<h2>Information Sheet</h2>

<p>The information sheet provided to the research subjects should be clear and understandable. Avoid scientific jargon. The sheet must clearly describe what it means to participate in the study.</p>

<p>See the EU’s <a href="http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/FI/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32016R0679&amp;from=FI">General Data Protection Regulation, Articles 13 and 14</a>.</p>

<p>The information sheet provided to your research subjects must include the following details:</p>

<ol>
	<li>Contact information</li>
	<li>The research topic and goals. Indicate whether the study is expected to harm or benefit research subjects and why. Describe how the study will be implemented and what participation will actually mean (eg how much time subjects should set aside for their participation)</li>
	<li>Methods for collecting research data</li>
	<li>Voluntary participation. Mention whether research subjects will receive compensation or not. Point out that research subjects have the right to withdraw from the study at any time without giving any reason and without suffering negative consequences. You should also state that the data collected on the subjects to the point of withdrawal will remain part of the study database and may not be removed.</li>
	<li>Confidentiality of research data</li>
	<li>The processing of personal data and the possible combination of registry data with information provided by research subjects</li>
	<li>Privacy of research subjects in scientific publications</li>
	<li>Further use and archiving of the research data</li>
</ol>

<figure role="group"><div class="embedded-file"><svg height="25" width="25" aria-hidden="true" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 24 24"><polygon points="22 18 22 20 2 20 2 18 0 18 0 20 0 22 2 22 22 22 24 22 24 20 24 18 22 18"></polygon><polygon points="12 18 18.55 11.46 17.09 10 13 14.09 13 2 11 2 11 14.09 6.91 10 5.46 11.46 12 18"></polygon></svg><span class="visually-hidden">Download</span><a href="https://content-webapi.tuni.fi/proxy/public/2024-04/tiedotemalli.english.revised.5.4.2024.doc"><span>Information sheet template (DOCX)</span></a></div></figure>

<h2>Informed Consent</h2>

<p>The consent form to be signed by your research subjects or other statement detailing the process of obtaining and documenting participants’ consent. The Ethics Committee recommends researchers to use written consent forms if their study intervenes in the physical integrity of their subjects (if the study falls outside the scope of the Medical Research Act) and if the research data will not be anonymised before analysis and the data contains sensitive information (special category data defined in the GDPR).</p>

<p>If you request permission from parents or guardians for their child’s participation in your study, the consent form must be appended to the request for statement. If research subjects are unable to provide informed consent due to a mental disorder, disability or other similar reason, you must request consent from their guardians or legal representatives. This consent form must also be appended to the request for statement.&nbsp;</p>

<figure role="group"><div class="embedded-file"><svg height="25" width="25" aria-hidden="true" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 24 24"><polygon points="22 18 22 20 2 20 2 18 0 18 0 20 0 22 2 22 22 22 24 22 24 20 24 18 22 18"></polygon><polygon points="12 18 18.55 11.46 17.09 10 13 14.09 13 2 11 2 11 14.09 6.91 10 5.46 11.46 12 18"></polygon></svg><span class="visually-hidden">Download</span><a href="https://content-webapi.tuni.fi/proxy/public/2023-10/suostumuslomake.tutkimus.englanninkielinen.docx"><span>Consent form template (DOCX)</span></a></div></figure>

<h2>Processing personal data and data protection</h2>

<p>If you are processing personal data in connection with your study, you need to comply EU's General Data Protection Regulation and Finnish Data Protection Act. These need to be complied also if your data is likely to include personal data, even if the collection of personal data is not the primary purpose of your study. When processing personal data in research, documentation comprises data privacy notice, risk assessment, data protection impact assessment (DPIA) (when needed) and record of processing activities.</p>

<p>See <a href="https://www.tuni.fi/en/research/responsible-research/data-protection">more information and templates</a>.</p>

<h3>Statement from an Ethical Committee&nbsp;</h3>

<p><a data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="ee04957d-d9c7-4409-b4dd-22d535da8680" href="/en/node/37099?channel=main_site">The Ethics Committee of the Tampere Region</a>&nbsp;oversees the ethical reviews of proposed non-medical research in the field of human sciences at Tampere University, Tampere University of Applied Sciences, the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and the UKK Institute. See the ethics committee page for details on what research protocols require ethical review.</p>


Research in the field of the Human Sciences

<p>Ethical review of research ensures sufficient protection of the research subjects as well as strengthens legal protection of the researcher. It does not take responsibility away from the researcher or research group.</p>

<h3>Medical Research</h3>

<p>The <a href="https://www.tays.fi/en-US/Research_and_development/Ethics_Committee">Ethics Committee of&nbsp;the Wellbeing Services County of Pirkanmaa</a> provides ethical reviews of medical research conducted on humans, human embyos and foetuses.</p>

<h3>Non-Medical Research in the Field of the Human Sciences</h3>

<p><a data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="ee04957d-d9c7-4409-b4dd-22d535da8680" href="/en/node/37099?channel=main_site">Ethics Committee of the Tampere Region</a> provides ethical reviews of non-medical research in the field of the human sciences.</p>

<h3>Animal Experimentation</h3>

<p>Use of animals for scientific or educational purposes is regulated by the Act (497/2013) and Decree (564/2013).</p>

<p>See more information: <a href="https://www.avi.fi/en/web/avi-en/animal-experimantal-board-ella">Animal Experiment Board ELLA</a></p>

<h3>Gene Technology</h3>

<p><a href="https://geenitekniikanlautakunta.fi/en/frontpage">The Board for Gene Technology</a> (GTLK) is the competent authority in Finland regarding the use of genetically modified organisms&nbsp;in accordance&nbsp;with the Gene Technology Act (377/1995). It processes notifications/applications in accordance with Government Decree&nbsp;on Chargeable Performances under the Gene Technology Act.</p>


Ethical review

<p>Applying for a research permission is part of good and ethical research practice. If your research or thesis is related to the activities of an organisation, public body (e.g., municipality/city) or a business, and you interview its staff, please ask the research subject (company, municipality/city) directly for the research permission. The research subject will grant the permission in accordance with its own practices.</p>

<p>At Tampere University, a research permission is only required of people outside the University, such as researchers or students at another university. A research permission is required if you are writing a thesis, conducting a research or development project in which you interview or observe university staff, or conduct surveys during the staff’s working hours. E-mail surveys of the University’s staff and students also require a research permission. In addition, certain other research subjects require a research permission, see the link below “Research and data authorisation at Tampere University”. The staff, researchers and students at Tampere University no longer need to apply for a research permit in the above situations.</p>

<p>If you need data from the University’s registers or confidential documents, you will need a decision for disclosing the data for research purposes instead of a research permission. The request for data disclosure and the resulting decision apply to both staff and students of the University. Third parties outside the University must also apply for a data disclosure in the above-mentioned situations.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Separate forms are used to apply for a research permission and a decision to disclose data for research purposes upon request. The form must be accompanied by a research outline approved by the thesis supervisor or the Director of the research team/project, a completed Prior Informed Consent document and a Data Protection Notice.</p>

<p>The research outline describes:</p>

<ul>
	<li>research methods, how the data will be collected, who will collect it, how the data will be used, where and how the data will be stored during and after the research, and how the data will be destroyed. Further guidelines on data management are available on the website of <a href="https://www.fsd.tuni.fi/en/services/data-management-guidelines/data-management-planning/">the Finnish Social Science Data Archive</a>.</li>
</ul>

<p><strong>The following information and conditions only apply to research permissions and requests of data disclosure at Tampere University:</strong></p>

<p><a href="https://www.tuni.fi/en/research/responsible-research/research-ethics/requests-to-disclose-data-and-applying-for-a-research-permission-at-tampere-university">Requests to disclose data and applying for a research permission at Tampere University</a></p>

<p><strong>The following information and conditions only apply to research permissions and requests of data disclosure at Tampere University of Applied Sciences:</strong></p>

<p><a data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="b59c6bbb-bd8b-43f5-baf9-7d3fbf050bfd" href="/en/node/37039?channel=main_site">Procedure for requesting research permission at Tampere University of Applied Sciences</a></p>

<p><a data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="34cccac0-4d9f-4396-aa34-ec954eb57ea6" href="/en/node/44983?channel=main_site">Data disclosure requests for research purposes at TAMK</a></p>


Research permissions and decisions to disclose data based on a data request for research purposes

<h2>Data Management</h2>

<p>Research data and data management are an integral part of research. Tampere higher education community continually produces new data, and therefore we at the higher education community provide services and guidance for research data management.</p>

<p>Research data are part of our Open Science and Research policy, as well as the Open Science action plans of Tampere University and Tampere University of Applied Sciences. According to the policy, central descriptive information (metadata) of the research data should always be open. Research data are as open as possible, as closed as necessary, depending on the nature of the data.</p>

<p>Our library assists in data management and gives wide-ranging guidance in open science. We are developing a Data Service that supports researchers and research, development and innovation (RDI) projects. Our independent institute the <a href="https://www.fsd.tuni.fi/en/">Finnish Social Science Data Archive</a> (FSD) is an expert organisation in digital research data that curates and preserves data collected to study society, population and cultural phenomena.</p>

<p>We like to offer our researchers, staff members and students good opportunities to increase their data management competence so that the research data produced within the higher education community will be of premium quality.</p>

<p>See more information: <a href="https://www.fsd.tuni.fi/en/services/data-management-guidelines/">Data management guidelines</a></p>

<h2>Tampere University Research Data Services</h2>

<p>Research Data Services assist the staff and students of the Tampere higher education community in matters related to research data management.</p>

<p>Based on one-stop-shop principle, we provide services and tools for research data management. Through Research Data Services, members of our community reach experts in the library's data support, IT for research, research services, information security, data protection, legal affairs, document management, as well as the Finnish Social Science Data Archive (FSD) and other necessary resources. Tampere University Research Data Services support the implementation of the FAIR principles in research data managements in accordance with the Open Science guideline of our higher education community.</p>

<p>Whether it is about planning, storing, protecting, sharing or agreeing on rights related to your data, contact us or make an appointment through <span class="spamspan"><span class="u">researchdata</span> [at] <span class="d">tuni.fi</span><span class="t"> (researchdata[at]tuni[dot]fi)</span></span> and let us solve your problem together!</p>

<p>Further information on Tampere University Research Data Services' website: <a href="https://research.tuni.fi/researchdata/">tuni.fi/researchdata</a>.</p>

<h2>Processing personal data and data protection</h2>

<p>If you are processing <a href="https://www.fsd.tuni.fi/en/services/data-management-guidelines/anonymisation-and-identifiers/">personal data</a> in connection with your study, you need to comply EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Finnish Data Protection Act. These need to be complied also if your data is likely to include personal data, even if the collection of personal data is not the primary purpose of your study. When processing personal data in research, documentation comprises data privacy notice, risk assessment, data protection impact assessment (DPIA) (when needed) and record of processing activities.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.tuni.fi/en/research/responsible-research/data-protection">More information and document templates</a>.</p>

<h2>Data protection policy</h2>

<p><a class="animated-url-link" data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="ca45d199-fdee-4559-b5c3-f597b086e1b3" href="/en/node/36914?channel=main_site">Data protection policy</a></p>


Data management and data protection policy

<p><a class="animated-url-link" href="https://tenk.fi/sites/default/files/2023-05/RI_Guidelines_2023.pdf" rel="noreferrer">The Finnish Code of Conduct for Research Integrity and Procedures for Handling Alleged Violations of Research Integrity in Finland 2023 (PDF)</a></p>

<p><a class="animated-url-link" href="https://allea.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/European-Code-of-Conduct-Revised-Edition-2023.pdf">The European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity (2023 Revised Edition, PDF)</a></p>

<p><a class="animated-url-link" href="https://www.tenk.fi/sites/tenk.fi/files/TENK_suositus_tekijyys.pdf">Agreeing on Authorship: Recommendation for Research Publications (TENK 2018, PDF)</a></p>

<p><a class="animated-url-link" href="https://www.vastuullinentiede.fi/en">Responsible Research Website</a></p>

<p><a class="animated-url-link" href="https://www.fsd.tuni.fi/en/services/data-management-guidelines/">Data Management Guidelines</a></p>

<p><a class="animated-url-link" href="https://tietosuoja.fi/en/home">Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman</a></p>


Research ethical guidelines

The Finnish Code of Conduct for Research Integrity and Procedures for Handling Alleged Violations of Research Integrity in Finland 2023 (RI Guidelines 2023, PDF)