The Hcéres Board validates the creation of the French Office for Research Integrity (OFIS)

The creation of the OFIS, a new department of Hcéres, is among the first measures implemented following the conclusions of the report by Pierre Corvol [1] on research integrity. This initiative has been taken in the context of active promotion of research integrity, marked by the first annual conference of the signatories to the Research integrity Charter (Paris, 22 March 2017). 

Missions at the service of research integrity: expertise, observation, facilitation

The OFIS, a national, transversal and independent body, has a threefold mission: 

• Expertise: coordinating reflection on the drawing up of standards, opinions and recommendations, accompanying higher education and research institutions in implementing their obligations, helping with the organisation of wider mediation processes; 

• Observation: managing a national observatory on the implementation of the commitments of the research integrity charter and on practices complying with the international standards, ensuring that information is updated and disseminated, tracking violations and their handling; 

• Facilitation: contributing to defining a national research integrity policy, encouraging the harmonisation and sharing of practices, promoting the work of the  network of “Research Integrity” Officers in higher education and research institutions, contributing to the training of these officers, encouraging research in the field, acting as a link with the regional education authorities and representing France at the European and International levels. 

An organisation with guaranteed independence

Established within Hcéres, an independent administrative authority, the OFIS benefits from conditions that guarantee its independence in carrying out its missions. It will have a Research Integrity Council (CIS) made up 12 French and international experts, half men and half women, appointed on an intuitu personae basis. Reporting to the President and to the Hcéres board, the CIS will be responsible for defining major orientations in research integrity policy. 

The working procedures for the CIS will be determined at the next Hcéres Board meeting in June 2017.