Ombudsperson for Academic Ethics and Procedures of the Republic of Lithuania
Curriculum Vitae Ombudsperson agendaThe Ombudsperson for Academic Ethics and Procedures of the Republic of Lithuania, Dr. Reda Cimmperman, presented the 2025 annual activity report of the Office of the Ombudsperson for Academic Ethics and Procedures (hereinafter – the Office) to the members of the Seimas Committee on Education and Science.
While presenting the report, the Ombudsperson highlighted the key areas of activity and the results achieved over the year. In the past year, consistent efforts were made to strengthen the prevention of academic misconduct, promote education, and further enhance cooperation with the academic community. The increasing number of consultations, training sessions, and discussions indicates that issues of academic ethics are becoming increasingly important for both researchers and students. The Office provided 135 consultations, and interest from the academic community in training and discussions on academic integrity increased several times. Over the year, 48 events were organized, engaging more than 3,800 members of the academic community.
“Significant attention was devoted to the prevention of academic misconduct. We worked systematically with first-year students by delivering a cycle of 12 seminars aimed at strengthening the foundations of academic culture. The seminars introduced students to the principles of academic ethics, plagiarism prevention, research ethics, and the responsible use of artificial intelligence in studies. The average evaluation of the seminars reached 9.1 out of 10, and the recommendation rate exceeded 90%. These results confirm that our initiatives and cooperation with the academic community are meaningful and necessary,” emphasized Dr. R. Cimmperman.
One of the most important events of the year was the international conference “Academic Ethics in Higher Education: Study Approaches, Assessment, and the Role of AI”, which brought together around 120 experts from Lithuania and abroad to discuss challenges in academic ethics, changes in assessment practices, and the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education.
During the reporting year, the Office conducted a survey of the academic community on academic ethics, academic freedom, and trust in science, with 725 respondents participating. The results provided valuable insights into current challenges in academic ethics and helped to identify directions for preventive measures within the academic community.
In response to challenges related to the development and application of AI technologies in studies and research, one of the analytical reviews examined how leading global academic publishers and the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) regulate the use of AI in scientific publications.
One of the key achievements of the year was the development and approval of the Guidelines for Science Communication in Line with Academic Ethics. These guidelines are intended to support the academic community in communicating science, research results, and study processes responsibly and transparently.
The Office actively participates in international initiatives on academic ethics and collaborates with European and global organizations, such as the European Network of Research Integrity Offices (ENRIO), the Council of Europe platform ETINED, the Global Academic Integrity Network (GAIN), the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), and the European Competence Centre for Science Communication (COALESCE).
Over the past year, representatives of the Office delivered 10 invited presentations at international events, contributing to discussions on academic ethics standards in Europe and worldwide.
The Office will continue to actively conduct analytical research, strengthen cooperation with the academic community, and develop preventive initiatives aimed at fostering a culture of academic integrity.