On Thursday, November 5, through the inauguration of the Commission for Integrity in Research, Sapienza has made a tangible choice in supporting research in line with the standards of the main international academic realities.
The global phenomenon of misconduct in research (Research Misconduct) is widespread and pervasive, although difficult to estimate due to multiple factors, different in nature, impact and relevance.
However, it can be inferred from the scientific literature on the subject that a small percentage of researchers admit to having falsified/fabricated their own data or plagiarized the work of others at least once in their careers, and that a larger percentage of them admit to having engaged in behaviour which, while not being frankly incorrect, is in any case in a large grey area of questionable or irresponsible behaviour.
The number of cases increases significantly when it comes to the perception of possible misconduct committed by others. It has been demonstrated, however, that a not-insignificant percentage of the articles published globally are not free from manipulation, even if to different degrees.
Faced with these circumstances and in line with the best practices of the most important international Universities, the Rector of Sapienza, Eugenio Gaudio, has appointed the "Commission for Integrity in Research", one of the first-ever in the Italian panorama.
"The appointment of an independent Commission, a unicum among Italian Universities, aligns Sapienza with the best international realities and tackles a major problem," says the Rector when the Commission took office. "Misconduct in research always has very serious consequences for the entire scientific community. Pursuing our University's excellence has always been a goal during my mandate and it is necessary to do what we can in this field too and help establish European best practices on the matter".
The Commission will draw up ethical-deontological guidance documents, codes and guidelines and will provide ethical advice to the Rector on the management of alleged cases of misconduct in research involving researchers at Sapienza.
Its members are Cinzia Caporale, Coordinator of the CNR Commission for Ethics and Integrity in Research; Sabino Cassese, Judge Emeritus of the Constitutional Court; Carlo Cellucci, Professor Emeritus of Sapienza; Gilberto Corbellini, Director of the Department of Human and Social Sciences, Cultural Heritage of the CNR; Lorenzo d'Avack, President of the National Committee for Bioethics, Ombretta Di Giovine, Professor at the University of Foggia; Francesco Loreto, Director of the Department of Biology, agricolture and food Sciences of the CNR; Luciano Maiani of the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei; Elena Tremoli lecturer at the Università degli Studi di Milano Statale; Teodoro Valente Deputy Rector for Research, Innovation and Technology Transfer of Sapienza. The Commission is chaired by the Rector Eugenio Gaudio. The Coordinator is Angela Santoni, Professor of Immunology at the Sapienza University and Scientific Director of the Istituto Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti .