1. The University of Bath is a leading research university committed to maintaining the highest standards of research excellence and integrity. This is the fourth University statement setting out the actions and initiatives we have undertaken to sustain and further enhance integrity in our research.

2. The University of Bath fully upholds the principles outlined in The Concordat to Support Research Integrity (Universities UK, July 2012).

3. We have a long-standing commitment to high standards in research ethics and integrity, which is reflected in our University Strategies and Code of Ethics. The current Research Strategy 2016-21 includes a key objective: 'To maintain the highest standards of rigour and integrity in all aspects of research and to have appropriate policies, systems and procedures in place to ensure compliance with the Concordat to support research integrity’.

4. Activities that we have undertaken to support and raise awareness of research integrity in 2017/18 include:

• We have reviewed our Code of Good Practice in Research Integrity (June 2017)
• We have refined our online ethics approval process and reporting tool for research, consultancy and KTP. Our Chemical Characterisation and Analysis Facility has been included in the reporting groups
• We have continued to put in place actions arising from the Audit report on Research Integrity to enhance and strengthen our arrangements
• We can report that there have been no formal investigations of research misconduct during 2017/18. There is an annual report to the Ethics Committee in October on any allegations during the previous academic year
• Research Integrity and Ethics web pages have new material and are in the most recent Typecase format
• We have continued our programme of annual development for Research Ethics Officers and others with an increased emphasis on research integrity in addition to research ethics. The most recent session included a presentation on GDPR and two case studies
• We have monitored that there is an annual slot for research integrity discussions at Departmental staff meetings
• In October 2015 we established a Task and Finish Group, Chaired by the PVC, Research, to advise the Electronic Environment Project and work has continued on implementing the fully automated and electronic environment to support an improved research proposal and award management process

5. In addition to the actions listed above, our continued review and monitoring of processes, policies and training in particular through the University Research Committee and the Ethics Committee will ensure our ongoing commitment to high quality and ethical research.

Version number: 4
Approval date: 19 July 2018
Approved by: Council