After six months of development, the University of Bath's Doctoral College, in collaboration with the University's Research Policy, Governance and Integrity Team has launched The Integrity Quest — an innovative board game designed to encourage doctoral researchers to explore research integrity and ethics through discussion, collaboration and real-world scenarios. The project was funded though the Enhancing Research Culture Fund 2025-26.

Research integrity underpins high-quality academic research, ensuring that researchers remain accountable for the knowledge they create and share. However, amidst laboratory experiments, data collection, literature reviews and project deadlines, opportunities to actively reflect on research ethics can sometimes take a back seat. The Integrity Quest was created to bring these important conversations to the forefront in an engaging and accessible way.

Cosmin Mudure, a doctoral researcher from the Department of Chemical Engineering, was employed by the Doctoral College to lead on the project coordination and development of the game. Cosmin worked across the two teams to coordinate its conceptualisation, creation and design.

The game was officially launched on Tuesday 23 June at the University of Bath's Doctoral Festival of Ideas. During the two-hour event, doctoral students from across multiple departments worked together to tackle realistic research dilemmas, with the room quickly filling with thoughtful discussion, collaborative problem-solving, and the sound of dice rolling and cards being played.

Initial feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly positive. Survey results from the launch event showed that:

• 71% of participants reported having "a lot" of fun, with no respondents indicating they had "little" or "no" fun.
• 83% described the game as highly engaging.
• Every participant found the game useful as a learning tool.
• All respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the game promoted discussion and reflection around research integrity.

The Integrity Quest forms part of the University's wider commitment to enhancing research culture by creating opportunities for researchers to openly discuss ethical decision-making, integrity and responsible research practices throughout their doctoral journey.

Prof Rachel Arnold, Associate Pro-Vice Chancellor (Research) says:

Supporting research that is conducted to the highest standards of rigour, integrity and ethics is a cornerstone of our research culture and a key pillar of our Research Culture Action Plan. The Integrity Quest is an excellent example of how creative, collaborative approaches can strengthen our research culture, helping doctoral researchers build the confidence, judgement and integrity that underpin excellent research. I'm delighted to see the Doctoral College and the Research Policy, Governance and Integrity Team working in partnership to deliver such an innovative and engaging resource, which will stimulate valuable conversations across our research community.

Oli Schofield, Head of Doctoral Researcher Development and Experience, adds:

From the outset, our aim was to make conversations about research integrity more engaging, practical and memorable. After months of designing the gameplay, refining realistic research scenarios and testing the experience with students, it's incredibly rewarding to see participants embracing the discussions and enjoying the process. We're excited to continue evaluating the game's longer-term impact."

Dr Filipa Vance, Director of Research Policy, Governance and Integrity, explains:

Ethics is rarely about finding one 'correct' answer; it's about thoughtful reflection, open discussion and considering different perspectives. The Integrity Quest creates a safe, collaborative space where doctoral researchers can explore complex ethical issues before they encounter them in their own research. We hope it becomes a valuable resource that supports responsible research across the University.

Development of the game involved extensive collaboration, from identifying the right game designer and refining the mechanics to creating authentic research scenarios that reflect the challenges faced by doctoral researchers. While the strong engagement at launch is encouraging, the project team will continue to evaluate the game's impact. A follow-up evaluation in three months' time will explore whether participants retained key concepts and whether the discussions have influenced their research practice.

The Integrity Quest will also be showcased nationally at research culture events, including the UK Reproducibility Network Conference and the International Research Culture Conference, helping to share the University's innovative approach to research integrity with the wider sector.

The game will become a key part of doctoral induction, with around 200 new doctoral students expected to play it during their first couple of months joining the University. Whilst designed to support doctoral researchers, the game can be used to train researchers at any stage of their careers.

A copy of the game will be available to borrow from the University Library, ensuring that research groups and students can continue the conversations throughout the year. In addition, if anyone would like to borrow a copy then feel free to contact us or the Research Integrity team. We are also happy to offer training sessions at the requests of Departments or Directors of Studies.

The game was developed in a open and transparent manner and downloadable files of the game are available for others to print their own versions.

The project team extends its thanks to everyone who contributed to the development and launch of The Integrity Quest.