TENK press release.
The European Network of Research Integrity Offices (ENRIO) has selected Docent Sanna Kaisa Spoof, the secretary general of the Finnish National Board on Research Integrity TENK, as its chair for the 2018–2021 term. The selection was made on 5 October 2018 at ENRIO’s annual conference in Stockholm. Spoof has served as the TENK secretary general since 2009.
ENRIO comprises 29 member organisations, representing a total of 23 European countries. ENRIO was founded in 2007 after the 1st World Conference on Research Integrity in Lisbon for strengthening the status of research integrity and to promote responsible conduct of research in Europe. The goal of this cooperative network is to not only distribute information and experiences amongst its members but also to promote education on research integrity. Finland has been involved in ENRIO’s activities from the very beginning.
“Not all European countries have a national body to investigate or prevent research misconduct, not to mention guidelines for responsible conduct of research. It is important for ENRIO to have connections with these countries as well,” Spoof says.
Spoof sees that one of the current tasks of European cooperation is to consider the status of a researcher who makes an allegation of misconduct or a researcher who has become the target of an allegation.
“The research community needs common rules for having the courage to make an allegation of serious research misconduct. The fear of a whistleblower putting his or her own career at risk for making an allegation cannot be an obstacle. The possibility of anonymous reporting on the European level is also being considered.”
Investigating an allegation of research misconduct will benefit all parties involved. Particularly challenging are those cases regarding a violation of responsible conduct of research where its parties are researchers from different countries.
For further information: Sanna Kaisa Spoof, tel. +358 50 594 1909, sanna-kaisa.spoof@tenk.fi
About ENRIO’s activities and contact information of member organisations: www.enrio.eu
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