Research Compliance and Good Research Practice

Like everywhere else, research at the University of Bern on and with artificial intelligence (AI) is steadily increasing. This development can help us to remain relevant and to continue to conduct cutting-edge research, but it also carries certain risks. Researchers at the University of Bern should be guided by the principles of "trustworthy AI" – lawful, ethical, robust.

Please consult the guidelines below, which you can also cite if you need to specify the applicable University of Bern guidelines for a publication or funding application. Please also note any other requirements stipulated by publishers and funding agencies.

Your contact points at the University of Bern

The Research Management Office offers general advice on all the application of AI in research.

The Integrity Officers are responsible for all matters related to scientific integrity and handle reports of (possible) violations in this regard.

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Determining who is named as an author on a scientific publication is a widely discussed topic. The University of Bern adheres to the rules and recommendations on authorship of the Expert Group on Scientific Integrity of the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences (see below). An author on a publication is a person who has made a significant contribution to the planning, implementation and quality of the research that led to that publication. Please also consult the University of Bern Directive below, which includes information on the correct address hierarchy and nomenclature.

Your contact points at the University of Bern

Your first point of contact is your institute/department (supervisor or head) or your faculty.

The Research Management Office offers general advice on all topics related to research compliance and good research practice.

The Integrity Officers are responsible for all matters related to scientific integrity and handle reports of (possible) violations in this regard.

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"Charter & Code" is the short name for "European Charter for Researchers" and "Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers", an initiative of the European Commission to boost researchers' careers. The University of Bern endorsed Charter & Code in 2009. More...

A conflict of interest exists when personal or professional interests or situations (family, friendship, financial, social) influence or could influence the professional judgment, conduct or decisions of University of Bern employees. This applies to all aspects of research, from the review of a publication or grant application by someone with whom you work closely, to the employment of friends or family members in a research project or the awarding of a contract to a company with which you are connected.

All researchers at the University of Bern are obliged to disclose apparent, possible or actual conflicts of interest. Researchers submitting an application to the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) must disclose any significant financial interests in advance and, if the application is successful, undergo financial conflict of interest training every 4 years.

Please consult the University of Bern rules below and also refer to the "Integrity" tab.

Your contact points at the University of Bern

The Research Management Office offers general advice on all topics related to research compliance and good scientific practice.

The Grants Office is your first point of contact for NIH applications and projects. The Financial Conflict of Interest Officer is responsible for handling (possible) financial conflicts of interest in this context.

The Integrity Officers are responsible for all matters related to scientific integrity and for dealing with reports of (possible) violations in this context.

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A contract may be necessary if a funding agency, a private organization/foundation or a company finances research, development or services. A contract may also be necessary in the case of material or data transfer to external partners or if confidential information is to be exchanged with external parties. Among other things, a contract regulates the rights and obligations of both parties, as well as the financial and administrative framework conditions.

All contracts received by researchers at the University of Bern, with the exception of unilateral, so-called "grant notifications", must be checked or approved by the University before they are signed. Which office is responsible and who is authorized to sign the contract afterwards depends on the amount of money and type of contract, as well as the source of funding.

Please consult the University of Bern rules below, which set out the rights and responsibilities as well as the procedure. For information on intellectual property, please refer to the "Intellectual property and commercialization" tab.

Your contact points at the University of Bern

For SERI-funded projects and contracts with foreign public funding agencies, please contact the Grants Office.

For Innosuisse projects, please contact the Innovation Office.

For all other contracts, the point of contact depends on the faculty where you work:

• Law, Phil.-hist., Phil.-hum., Theology, WISO – Legal Services Office (email)
• Medicine, Phil.-nat., Vetsuisse – Unitectra (email)

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Research data is at the core of any research project. Responsible data management is essential for the quality, security and longevity of research data and the reproducibility of research results, both during the research project and after the project has ended. Many funding agencies require a data management plan to be submitted at the time of application.

Please consult the University of Bern rules below and also refer to the "Open Science, Open Access, Open Research Data" tab.

Your contact points at the University of Bern

You will find a list of the IT managers by institute on the internal website (in German).

Data management

If your institute or department offers support in the area of data management, they are your first point of contact.

The Open Science team at the University Library offers comprehensive information and individual support.

The Data Protection Office of the Legal Services Office provides advice on data protection issues and the handling of personal data.

For projects involving clinical trials, the Data Management Division of the Clinical Trials Unit offers services specifically tailored to clinical requirements.

Data security

Your first point of contact is your institute/department or faculty. If necessary, the University of Bern IT Security Officer can then be consulted.

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Applying principles of research ethics and ethics in research data management is an integral part of every research project. The aim is to design research in such a way that it causes no harm or that the harm is kept within reasonable limits. This protects test subjects, animals, historical documents, the environment, etc. To ensure this, authorization is often required before research can begin.

Please refer to the "Ethics – Research with humans" and "Ethics – Research with animals" tabs. Information on working with genetic resources or their associated traditional knowledge can be found under the tab "Ethics – Research with genetic resources".

Empirical, high-risk, security-related research or research that could have an impact on the environment may require approval from a faculty ethics committee. The Faculty of Humanities (Phil.-hist.), Faculty of Human Sciences (Phil.-hum.) and Faculty of Business, Economics ​and Social Sciences (WISO) have such an ethics committee. If in doubt, please check the rules at your faculty.

Your contact points at the University of Bern

If you have any questions, your first point of contact is your faculty:

• Phil.-hist. Ethics Committee
• Phil.-hum. Ethics Committee
• WISO Ethics Committee (in German)

The Research Management Office can advise you on general questions of research ethics and help you find a solution if none of the faculty ethics committees are responsible for you.

The Data Stewards at the University Library of Bern offer support throughout the project lifecycle on ethics in research data management.

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The "Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilisation to the Convention on Biological Diversity" is an instrument for international nature conservation. Genetic resources are considered to be DNA, RNA, animals, plants and microorganisms or parts thereof that are carriers of hereditary units. Research in Switzerland involving such resources is subject to the related legal obligations. More...

Research projects involving humans (human diseases or the structure and function of the human body), biological material or health-related personal data fall under the Human Research Act (HRA) and must be authorized by the Cantonal Ethics Committee of Bern before they can begin. Clinical projects involving medicinal products or medical devices also require authorization from the Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products (Swissmedic) or Federal Office of Public Health. These authorizations ensure that the ethical, scientific and legal aspects of the research activities are regulated and fulfilled, to safeguard the dignity, privacy and health of the study participants.

For certain research activities involving human participants, employees must complete training and regularly attend further education courses. For employees involved in clinical trials, this also includes training in good clinical practice (e.g. through the Department of Clinical Research).

Research involving human participants that does not fall under the HRA may require approval from a faculty ethics committee. The Faculty of Humanities (Phil.-hist.), Faculty of Human Sciences (Phil.-hum.) and Faculty of Business, Economics ​and Social Sciences (WISO) have such an ethics committee. If in doubt, please check the rules at your faculty.

If you need a consent form for research that does not fall under the HRA, you can use the template provided by the University of Bern (see below).

Your contact points at the University of Bern

If you have any questions, your first point of contact is your faculty:

• Phil.-hist. Ethics Committee
• Phil.-hum. Ethics Committee
• WISO Ethics Committee (in German)

If you have any doubts about whether your research requires approval by an ethics committee, or if you have questions about research involving human subjects, you can also contact the Research Management Office.

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University of Bern regulations & documents

The respectful, competent and responsible treatment of laboratory animals is both an ethical principle and a prerequisite for robust research. The University of Bern strictly adheres to national and cantonal laws, follows the guidelines of swissuniversities and actively promotes animal welfare in research conducted in its name. The Animal Welfare Office, which reports directly to the Vice-Rector for Research and works independently of the research institutes, ensures the quality of animal research and animal welfare.

It is mandatory that employees who work with animals are accredited and regularly attend further training courses.

Your contact point at the University of Bern

The Animal Welfare Office offers comprehensive information and individual support. All animal experimentation applications to the Cantonal Veterinary Office must first be approved by the Animal Welfare Office.

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Export controls primarily regulate the export of goods, information, know-how and software as well as the employment of foreign personnel and cooperation with international researchers. Regulations from other countries also apply to research at the University of Bern! Since violations can have serious consequences, it is very important to clarify whether your research, data transfer, planned conference trip, etc. fall under the export control regulations. More...

External funds are research funds from public funding agencies or private organizations that are acquired in addition to the regular university budget (basic funding). External funds are assets of the university. With a few exceptions, the same financial regulations that apply to basic funding also apply to external funds. Some funders have special rules that must be followed (in addition).

External funds are often made up of direct and indirect costs (overhead). Which research costs can be charged and what the indirect costs can be used for is contractually regulated. Whether and how employees must provide evidence of their time spent on a research project is also regulated.

Please consult the University of Bern rules below, which govern the handling of external funds.

Your contact points at the University of Bern

Your first point of contact is the finance or human resources manager in your institute/department. If necessary, the relevant offices can subsequently be consulted.

The Finance Office is the central point of contact for all financial questions related to project accounts (Kredite) and the management of external funds. Contact persons by institution can be found on the internal website (in German).

The Human Resources Office is the central point of contact for all questions related to the employment of personnel via external funding. Contact persons by institution can be found on the internal website (in German).

The Grants Office offers advice on the financial and personnel regulations of public funding agencies. For Innosuisse, please contact the Innovation Office.

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Scientific integrity is defined by the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences as the obligation of researchers to adhere to the basic rules of good research practice. Reliability, honesty, respect and responsibility are the basic principles. Furthermore, truthfulness and openness, self-discipline, self-criticism and fairness are considered indispensable for conduct with integrity. These characteristics are the basis for all research activity and a prerequisite for the credibility and acceptance of science in society, which ultimately finances research.

The University of Bern does not tolerate impropriety in research. It has therefore issued regulations on scientific integrity and appointed independent Integrity Officers to deal with reports of (possible) breaches of scientific integrity. The University also actively promotes the transfer of knowledge in this area. In addition to training courses in degree programs and graduate schools, it offers everyone at the university the opportunity to take the online course "Research Integrity". The course is discipline-specific and can be completed with a certificate to serve as proof for funding agencies or journals of knowledge in the area of good research practice.

Please consult the University of Bern rules below and also refer to the "Conflict of interest" and "Plagiarism" tabs. Also note that most funding agencies have their own regulations on scientific integrity, e.g. the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF).

Your contact points at the University of Bern

The Integrity Officers are responsible for all matters related to scientific integrity and handle reports of (possible) violations in this regard.

The Research Management Office offers general advice on all topics related to research compliance and good research practice.

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The University Act and the Employment Act form the basis for the regulations on the rights and obligations of University of Bern employees with regard to research results, the resulting intellectual property and its exploitation. Intangible research results created by employees in the fulfillment of their official duties and in the performance of their professional activities belong to the University of Bern.

Inventions and computer programs/multimedia products with potential for commercialization are to be reported to Unitectra, the technology transfer office, using the appropriate form (see below). Other intangible research results with potential commercial use are to be reported to Unitectra in another suitable form.

Please consult the University of Bern rules below, which set out the rights and responsibilities as well as the procedure. This includes information on equity, royalties, and sublicensing fees as well as patenting, exploitation strategy, and revenue distribution. For information on research collaborations with third parties, please refer to the "Contracts - Research, development, services" tab.

Your contact points at the University of Bern

Unitectra, the technology transfer office, supports researchers in regard to the protection of intellectual property and the exploitation of research results to new products and services.

The Innovation Office is the central point of contact for questions related to innovation and entrepreneurship and offers support with the establishment of spin-off companies.

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When interacting with the media or when publishing comments or images on your website or social media, there are many aspects to consider, including embargo periods for grants or publications, data protection rights, personal versus institutional statements, and the consequences of publication for your reputation and that of the university.

Please consult the University of Bern rules below and get in touch with one of the contact points below if you have any questions or are unsure. Please forward media inquiries on sensitive topics or on the University of Bern as an institution to the responsible office.

Your contact points at the University of Bern

If your institute/department has a media officer, this person is your first point of contact.

The Communication & Marketing Office is responsible for all questions related to communication and marketing and has direct contact persons (internal) by subject area who provide advice. The Media Relations team supports you if you are contacted by reporters who would like to obtain information or interview you.

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Open Science is a global movement in good research practice that strives for openness and transparency of scientific knowledge, results and tools as well as collaboration, communication and sharing within and outside the research community. Open Science includes Open Access and Open Research Data. Open Access means public access to research publications and results. Open Research Data means the free use, reuse and dissemination of research data. The FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) Data Principles and the concept of "as open as possible, as closed as necessary" have been proposed as guiding principles.

Many funding agencies require that researchers publish their project results in open access publications and deposit their research data in public databases.

Please consult the University of Bern rules below and also refer to the "Data management and security" tab.

Your contact point at the University of Bern

The Open Science Team at the University Library offers comprehensive information and individual support.

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When writing a scientific paper, it is necessary to include existing knowledge and relevant literature. However, these must be cited correctly. It is considered plagiarism when copyrighted works or parts of works (namely texts, tables, drawings) are used without citing the source. Such a use involves the following:

• an identical reproduction of text passages and other information such as tables and drawings without citing the source
• paraphrasing of text without citing the source
• incomplete and incorrect information

Plagiarism violates copyright law and is classified as intellectual theft.

Please consult the University of Bern guidelines below.

Your contact points at the University of Bern

If you have questions about plagiarism, your first point of contact is your faculty. Contact persons by faculty for the use of PlagScan can be found on the internal website.

The Open Science Team at the University Library offers comprehensive information and individual support.

The Integrity Officers are responsible for all matters related to academic integrity and for dealing with reports of (possible) violations in this context.

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Many University of Bern institutes/departments and faculties have their own guidelines on citation and scientific writing. You should therefore also consult their websites.