The new UK Committee on Research Integrity (UK CORI) will be co-chaired by Professor Andrew George MBE and Professor Rachael Gooberman-Hill.
Together, Professor Gooberman-Hill and Professor George bring a wealth of experience and complementary visions to developing UK CORI.
UKRI Chief Executive Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser said:
I am delighted to announce the appointment of Professor George and Professor Gooberman-Hill as the UK CORI co-chairs.
They are exemplary researchers who will bring both energy and wide experience to the role.
UK CORI is starting as it means to go on: operating as co-chairs sets a great example for the kind of collaborative working through which the research and innovation system thrives.
A shared vision
Professor Gooberman-Hill is director of a large interdisciplinary research institute at the University of Bristol.
An anthropologist by training, she has built national and international collaborations that have research integrity, governance, and support for continual improvement at their heart.
Professor George has leadership and management experience across several sectors and has overseen the development of work improving research transparency and ethics within the NHS.
He also oversaw education and international partnerships during his time as Deputy Vice Chancellor at Brunel University.
Values-based approach
Professor George said:
As co-chairs, our vision is for UK CORI to contribute to a values-based approach to research integrity, and we believe in recognising and involving the public as co-owners of research.
Professor Gooberman-Hill said:
Both Andrew and I believe in the quality, strength and importance of UK research.
As co-chairs of UK CORI we’re fully committed to supporting research to take pride in its integrity.
Strong foundations
The new chairs and UKRI extend a huge thank you to Dr Helen Munn OBE for the crucial work she did as interim chair.
She led the development of the UK’s first research integrity committee.
Her energy and principled approach have established strong foundations for UK CORI.
Leading by example
Sharing the role and responsibilities of chair, Professors George and Gooberman-Hill are setting an example of the cooperative and collaborative approach they wish UK CORI to take across the sector.
However, no two individuals can encompass the full range of experience that UK CORI will need.
The co-chairs are excited to continue the process of appointing members to join the committee.
UK CORI is expected to meet for the first time in late spring 2022.
Research integrity is essential
UK CORI is an independent committee, first recommended by the previous House of Commons Science and Technology Committee in their 2018 report.
It is an opportunity to:
- improve national leadership in ensuring research integrity
- tackle the poor evidence base around research integrity
- address culture and behaviours within the sector that do not align with the principles of research integrity.
It will achieve this by:
- promoting research integrity across the UK and internationally
- creating opportunities for discussion, building consensus and developing co-ownership of integrity issues across the sector
- building and communicating the evidence base around UK research integrity
- identifying how systemic pressures affect research integrity, and harnessing opportunities for change and improvement
- working collaboratively with existing bodies and levers, such as the Concordat to Support Research Integrity, to enhance research integrity in the UK.
A valuable forum
UK CORI will not have the authority to independently verify whether an institution has followed appropriate processes when investigating a case of alleged misconduct.
Nevertheless, UK CORI will be a valuable forum to discuss how safeguards, standards and expectations for misconduct processes can be set, and what sort of assurance framework would be appropriate.
To sign-up for occasional updates on UK CORI, email secretariat@ukcori.org and request to be added to the mailing list.
Further information
About Professor Rachael Gooberman-Hill
Professor Rachael Gooberman-Hill is:
- director of the Elizabeth Blackwell Institute for Health Research
- professor of Health and Anthropology at the University of Bristol
- member of the Development Board for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Science and Health.
With a PhD in social anthropology she has spent most of her career working in interdisciplinary research.
Rachael has served on:
- research advisory and steering groups
- funding panels
- committees in professional associations.
About Professor Andrew George MBE
Professor Andrew George MBE is:
- an executive coach and consultant
- non-executive director of the Health Research Authority
- non-executive director of Health Education England
- non-executive director of Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
- until earlier this year, Chair of Imperial College Health Partners.
He is also Chair of two educational colleges and on the board of the Epilepsy Society.
Andrew is an immunologist who spent most of his career at Imperial College London and as Deputy Vice Chancellor at Brunel University London.
Top image: Credit: gorodenkoff, Getty Images