Report suspected misconduct

Any reports of possible violations of recognised research ethics norms at UiB must be processed in accordance with applicable guidelines at UiB.  

Read more about different kinds of scientific misconduct

Below is more information about how you can report suspected misconduct and the procedure that takes place after you have reported it. There is also information about various types of research misconduct. 

How to report suspected misconduct

If you suspect that an employee at UiB or a student on one of the university’s doctoral programmes has violated recognised research ethics norms, you must report it to the head of department at the department to which the employee or PhD student is affiliated. The report must state the name of the person(s) who are under suspicion and the basis for the suspicion. As far as possible, the basis for the suspicion must be documented.  

Employees at UiB can choose to notify the faculty, alternatively one may also report the suspicion directly to the secretariat of the Research Ethics Committee at UiB.  It is also possible to contact the secretariat for advice and guidance. 

You can also report suspicion electronically through one of the digital notification forms. The anonymous form will allow you to give a report without leaving your name, but then we will not have the opportunity to obtain more information from you as we process the report. An anonymous report should therefore contain enough information so that UiB is able to further process the case. 

Your rights if you report misconduct

You should not experience negative consequences or retaliation as a result of reporting suspected misconduct. 

As a general rule, if you report a possible violation of recognised research ethics norms at UiB, you will not be part of any further proceedings. However, UiB will contact you if further information is required to shed light on the case. You will receive confirmation that the case has been received and be informed when the case is closed.  

Persons accused of scientific misconduct have the right to know about the content of the report, gain access to the case and make a statement regarding the accusation. The individual or individuals accused may also be summoned to separate meetings to shed light on the matter. If UiB’s Research Ethics Committee concludes that the accused has acted in a scientifically fraudulent manner, the decision may be appealed to the National Commission for the Investigation of Research Misconduct (external link) by the person or persons who have been accused of scientific misconduct.