Fostering a common culture
of research integrity

Processes and stakeholders in France

Researchers, institutions, funding agencies, publishers, assessment agencies, public authorities, whistleblowers, research integrity officers, etc. There are many stakeholders who contribute to the respect of rules guaranteeing an honest, rigorous, reliable and credible research activity.

In France, the Research Programming Law (LPR) of 2020 marked the transition from “soft law” measures (for example, signing the French Charter of Ethics for Research Professions) to the existence of a legal reference that is valid for all, article L211-2 of the Research Code.
The decree of December 3, 2021 implementing this law sets out the obligations of institutions and defines the missions of research integrity officers.

The Law has entrusted Hcéres (High Council for the Evaluation of Research and Higher Education) with new missions in the field of research integrity, which Ofis is responsible for implementing (see Ofis’ missions).

See Ofis’ factsheet “Research integrity in the law (pdf)

Research integrity officers (RIS)

At the heart of the system for promoting and protecting research integrity, the referents are appointed by their institutions, which must provide them with the means to carry out their missions. In France, the RIS participate in developing the institution’s policy in terms of research integrity, advise staff, and receive reports of alleged misconducts, which they investigate impartially and confidentially.

Research integrity

In France, a few dates

2015

Charte française de déontologie des métiers de la recherche.

2016

Corvol Report. Order on doctoral training in research ethics and scientific integrity.

2017

Circular letter (Mandon): creation of Ofis as a department of Hcéres, obligation for institutions to appoint research integrity officers.

2020

Law on research programming (LPR): enshrining of a defintion of research integrity in the legal framework (Research Code).

2021

Decree of December 3, 2021 on research integrity: definition of the obligations of institutions and the missions of research integrity officers.

Illustration Ofis Référent à l'intégrité scientifique

Issues and perspectives in research integrity according to Pierre Corvol, from the Academy of Sciences

January 15, 2019