Netherlands Code of Conduct for Research Integrity
Research is an important profile feature within our University of the Arts The Hague. Together with theory and practice, we integrate the results of research into our teaching. Naturally, we want to do this in a safe and reliable study and working environment. The principles of good and honest scholarship and the resulting standards for good research practices have been formulated in a national code for several decades. Since October 2018, the principles have been set out in the enclosed Netherlands Code of Conduct for Research Integrity.
The code of conduct formulates five broadly supported principles that form the basis for the practice of research with integrity: honesty, diligence, transparency, independence and responsibility. These principles are elaborated into more concrete standards of good research practice to which researchers and others involved in research must adhere.
The aim is to prevent complaints, to safeguard an open, safe research culture and to create an automatic awareness of academic integrity, through training and supervision, for example. The code of conduct provides a methodological and ethical framework of standards that is widely supported and is taught, consulted and applied.
When a complaint or strong suspicion has been lodged about non-compliance with one or more standards, an executive board ensures that this is investigated with integrity, honesty and expertise. A complaint about academic integrity can, after all, have a big impact on both the complainant and the researcher against whom the complaint is lodged. Therefore, as the final element of the implementation of the Netherlands Code of Conduct on Research Integrity, a committee has been set up to handle complaints and a confidential counsellor for academic integrity has been appointed within our institute.
Netherlands Code of Conduct for Research Integrity
Academic Integrity Committee and complaints procedure
The seven monosectoral universities of the arts (KUO) have decided to establish a joint Academic Integrity Committee for the art education. More information about the CWI and the preliminary process for handling a complaint can be found on the website CWI-KUO.
Going to a Integrity Committee - popularly known as ‘the complaints committee’ - is a final step in a long process. By the way, this committee only deals with complaints related to integrity of researchers and research supervisors and does not focus on research by students in a teaching context.
This committee formally started on 1 January 2023 and has the following composition:
Jeroen Boomgaard, Gerrit Rietveld Academy,
Paul Craenen, University of the Arts The Hague,
Job ter Haar, Codarts Rotterdam,
Michiel Schuier, Amsterdam School of the Arts,
Henk Slager, Utrecht School of the Arts,
Peter Sonderen (chair), ArtEZ University of the Arts,
vacancy for member Design Academy Eindhoven.
From HKU, Suzan Klaver has been appointed as official secretary. She can be reached via the committee's e-mail address: cwi-kuo@hku.nl.
The duties of the CWI-KUO are described in the enclosed 'Academic integrity Complaints Regulation for Universities of the Arts' (article 3.5):
- The committee investigates complaints about suspected violations of academic integrity, judges whether or not, or to what extent, academic integrity has been violated and advises the Executive Board on the matter.
- At the request of the Executive Board, the committee can conduct an investigation into a suspected violation of academic integrity and advice on it without a complaint being lodged.
- The committee also advises the Executive Boards of the participating institutions on the university’s policy for the prevention of violations of academic integrity, whether by request or unrequested.
Apart from this website, detailed information has been published on our faculties' private portals for lecturers/researchers, supervisors, PhD students and (master's) students on what is expected of them and who they can turn to for advice or a complaint.
Information about the Code of Conduct and the jointly established Complaints Committee (CWI-KUO) can be found in the preamble to the Complaints Regulations below.
Academic Integrity Complaints Regulations KUO
Confidential counsellor for academic integrity
Should you have questions about academic integrity or doubts about the research taking place within the institute, you can contact the confidential counsellor of our University of the Arts The Hague. The confidential counsellor is independent and has no ties to HdK research. A question or complaint will remain confidential and any subsequent steps will only be taken with the consent of the complainant.
The confidential counsellor for academic integrity at our institute is: Prof. Dr. T. (Ton) van Haaften t.van.haaften@hum.leidenuniv.nl
If necessary, external stakeholders can reach the CWI via the email address cwi-kuo@hku.nl.