Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca
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Ethics and Integrity Guidelines
Council and Committee Members
Every member of Council, standing committee or selection committee confirms in writing his/her commitment to respect NSERC’s Statement on Ethics and Conflict of Interest guidelines that apply to the activities in which he/she will be involved.
Institutions, Applicants and Award Holders - Research Integrity
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) and Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) (the Agencies) have put in place a Tri-Council Policy Statement: Integrity in Research and Scholarship and policy framework on research integrity that institutions, applicants and award holders must adhere to. As part of that, a formal process is in place for institutions to investigate possible breaches of scientific integrity and to report findings to NSERC (see below). The corporate secretariat manages this process, which is formally under the stewardship of the Council’s Executive Committee and its Committee on Research Integrity.
NSERC, SSHRC, CIHR (the agencies), with input from the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC), have undertaken a review of the agencies’ policy framework for research and scholarly integrity, and financial accountability, and are providing regular updates on their work to address key action areas. The agencies and the AUCC remain committed to continuous improvement in this important area.
- Update - February 2010
- Integrity in Action - Case Summaries
- Overview – October 2009
- Report on Review of Policy Framework for Research Integrity – October 2008
- Appendices
- Report on Allegations Involving Non-Compliance with Research Policies Fiscal Years 2006-07 to 2008-09
NSERC is a member of the Canadian Research Integrity Committee (CRIC), which commissioned a report on the broader issue of the state of the research integrity system in Canada. This report provides a comprehensive overview of the Canadian integrity system and provides comparisons with models in other countries. The CRIC is pleased to make this report public.
Allegations of Scientific Misconduct
NSERC takes complaints of scientific misconduct very seriously. Allegations are reviewed to first determine if the issue falls under NSERC's purview and then whether the issue constitutes scientific misconduct according to the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Integrity in Research and Scholarship.
NSERC does not carry out investigations. Institutions funded by any of the federal funding agencies are required to have an institutional integrity policy in place that complies with the Tri-Council Policy Statement and that outlines procedures for investigating allegations of scientific misconduct. The expected procedures for such investigations are described in the Tri-Council Policy Statement and in the Framework for Tri-Council Review of Institutional Policies Dealing with Integrity in Research.
The agencies have developed the Tri-Agency Process for Addressing Allegations of Non-Compliance with Tri-Agency Policies to ensure consistency in how cases are handled. This process is used for allegations of non-compliance with different agencies’ policies, such as integrity, financial and ethics.
Institutions, Applicants and Award Holders - Ethics and Other Requirements
With SSHRC and CIHR, NSERC created the 
Inter-Agency Secretariat and Panel on Research Ethics
which ensure that the three agencies remain at the forefront of policy development for the protection of human subjects in research. Institutions, applicants and award holders must adhere to the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans. At the end of 2008, the Secretariat, Panel and the Agencies launched a public consultation process on the 2nd edition of the Policy.
NSERC is also a member of the Sponsors’ Table, a group of organizations led by Health Canada, with a shared interest in promoting
research involving humans that meets the highest standards in excellence and
ethics. In 2007, the Sponsors’ Table conducted a national consultation on research
ethics governance in Canada.
Clear rules and controls related to ethics and integrity are embedded in NSERC’s processes. Before funds are disbursed, certifications must be in place regarding animal care, the approval of research protocols that involve the use of human subjects and the handling of hazardous substances. NSERC also ensures that the research it supports promotes sustainable development and is conducted in a way that respects and protects the environment, in accordance with the Environmental Assessment Act.
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