1 mei 2003

As from today there will be a National Board for Research Integrity (LOWI), which will handle complaints concerning scientific misconduct.

The LOWI has been set up at the initiative of the Association of Cooperating Universities in the Netherlands (VSNU), the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) and the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW). The universities and research institutes concerned have reached agreements concerning the procedures for dealing with violations of scientific norms. If the 'complainant' or 'suspect' is not satisfied with the decision taken by the institution on the complaint, they can then submit the complaint to the LOWI 'in the second instance'. The LOWI has its offices with the KNAW. Its chairman is Prof. A.S. Hartkamp, Procurator-General of the Supreme Court.

The Notitie Wetenschappelijke Integriteit (pdf) (Scientific Integrity Memorandum) by the VSNU, NWO and KNAW was published at the end of 2001. The memorandum describes the generally accepted norms in scientific research and makes recommendations concerning the prevention of scientific misconduct, such as plagiarism or the fabrication or incomplete representation of research results. The universities and research institutes have undertaken to appoint one or more confidential reporting officers to whom suspicions of misconduct can be advised. The latter will report the issue to the governing body of the organisation concerned, which in turn is required to take a decision in the short term.

The establishment of a National Board for Research Integrity is the final element in this procedure. If one of the parties involved in a dispute is not satisfied with the decision taken by the institute in question, the complaint can be submitted to the LOWI. The latter's opinion has the status of a recommendation to the governing body of the institute, which is in turn obliged to advise the parties concerned of that recommendation.

The LOWI is independent and consists of three members: a chairman, a member representing the natural or life sciences and a member representing the humanities or social sciences. To cover the eventuality that the three members may be directly or indirectly involved in a complaint that is to be heard, deputies have also been appointed. With regard to the substantive handling of cases, the LOWI is expanded by two experts in the relevant area of scientific research. The permanent composition is as follows:

• Prof. A.S. Hartkamp, Procurator-General of the Supreme Court, chairman
• Mr. T. Koopmans, former Solicitor-General of the Supreme Court, deputy chairman
• Dr. J.J. Sixma, professor emeritus, Utrecht University, former chairman of the Health Council, natural and life sciences member
• Dr. J.F.G. Vliegenthart, professor emeritus, Utrecht University, natural and life sciences deputy member
• Dr. R.I. Bartsch, professor, Amsterdam University, humanities and social sciences member
• Dr. G.J. Mellenbergh, professor, Amsterdam University, humanities and social sciences deputy member.

The executive secretary is Mr. D.G. de Hen, KNAW, P.O. Box 19121, 1000 GC Amsterdam. The regulations of the LOWI and the Notitie Wetenschappelijke Integriteit (Scientific Integrity Memorandum) may be obtained from the KNAW (tel. +31(0)20-5510733, communicatie@bureau.knaw.nl). Alternatively they may be downloaded as PDF files (reglement and notitie respectively).