We are pleased to announce the publication of the Book of Abstracts of the ENRIO 2025 Congress on Research Integrity Practice.

The publication presents contributions from the ENRIO 2025 Congress, held in Ljubljana, which brought together more than 250 participants from 35 countries. The Congress addressed key issues related to research ethics and research integrity, including power dynamics in academic environments and the development of a safe institutional culture.

The Book of Abstracts is relevant for researchers, research ethics professionals, and representatives of research and higher education institutions. It presents European and international practices, and the material can be used in the context of education, training, and institutional activities. The publication is available in open access and licensed under a Creative Commons license.

The publication is available here: https://ebooks.uni-lj.si/ZalozbaUL/catalog/book/828

 

In the academic community, ethics is frequently discussed; however, it is not always clear which international documents define it in practice. To achieve a better understanding of the principles and responsibilities guiding institutional activities, it is important to rely on trusted international sources.

The recommendations, now available in Lithuanian, provide guidance on the activities of ombudsman institutions and national human rights institutions, including their independence, effectiveness, and strengthening.

Available recommendations:

On the development of the ombudsman institution
https://search.coe.int/cm/pages/result_details.aspx?objectid=090000168097fd59

On the development and strengthening of effective, pluralistic, and independent national human rights institutions
https://search.coe.int/cm/pages/result_details.aspx?objectid=0900001680a1e4ae

These recommendations may be useful in the study process, academic research, analytical work, and discussions on academic ethics, institutional roles, and the protection of human rights.

At the beginning of this year, the Ombudsperson for Academic Ethics and Procedures, Dr. Reda Cimmperman, joined the Leadership Academy organised by the Public Management Agency. The programme brought together 185 public-sector leaders from across Lithuania, and became an important part of her professional development, helping to deepen leadership competencies and reinforce the field of academic ethics.

Throughout the programme, the Ombudsperson participated in several learning groups, shared her experience, and learned alongside representatives of different institutions. Open discussions, analyses of practical cases, and joint projects created a space to exchange real challenges and explore effective solutions. These sessions provided a deeper understanding of the issues the public sector faces daily and strengthened collaboration among institutions.

Dr. Cimmperman notes that the most striking insight was the realisation that many institutions face similar challenges, and that open discussions help address them more quickly and effectively. The learning community was characterised by trust, mutual support, and a genuine willingness to learn from one another. This highlighted that leadership in the public sector is not only about competencies but also about culture, values, and cooperation.

The Ombudsperson also expresses her gratitude to the lecturers for their professionalism and dedication, as well as to the organisers for a carefully designed programme that encouraged growth and inspired further steps in strengthening academic ethics.

The Office of the Ombudsperson for Academic Ethics and Procedures held the second meeting this year with representatives of ethics and compliance committees from higher education and research institutions. The aim of the meeting was to openly discuss current challenges and strengthen inter-institutional cooperation.

Participants shared the difficulties they encounter in their daily work. The most frequently mentioned issues were complex academic processes, limited human resources and the lack of clear legal support.

It was noted that, in some cases, the process of research approval for academic ethics becomes excessive. Even in the case of low-risk projects, publishers or journals sometimes require academic ethics approval, creating additional administrative and financial burdens for institutions.

Special attention during the meeting was given to mutual communication. Institutions expressed the need for a shared and convenient space for exchanging information. In response to this need, a common Microsoft Teams channel will be created in the near future, enabling committees to share updates, events and practical solutions in one place.

The Office thanks all participants for their open dialogue, insights and constructive cooperation. These discussions contribute to strengthening the culture of academic ethics within the Lithuanian higher education community.

The Ombudsperson for Academic Ethics and Procedures of the Republic of Lithuania, Dr. Reda Cimmperman, who has been appointed as Lithuania’s representative to the Council of Europe’s ETINED Platform (Ethics, Transparency and Integrity in Education), participated in the 9th Plenary Meeting of the platform, held on 5–6 November 2025 in Malta.

The event was organized by the Malta Further and Higher Education Authority and chaired by Henry Alexander Henrysson, together with Villano Qiriazi and Ursula Sticker from the Council of Europe. The meeting brought together education and research ethics experts from across Europe to strengthen trust in education systems, promote transparency, and enhance cooperation among institutions.

Dr. Reda Cimmperman actively contributed to the discussions and presented Lithuania’s experience during a session dedicated to defining the activities of the newly established ETINED Centre for Preventing and Countering Education Fraud. Together with representatives from other countries, she shared insights on how to more effectively prevent misconduct in education, strengthen the reliability of qualifications, and responsibly apply artificial intelligence to uphold academic integrity.

The meeting also highlighted various national legal measures, digital tools, and innovative approaches aimed at combating illegal higher education institutions. Participants discussed how artificial intelligence in education can contribute to greater transparency and fairness.

“Cooperation among countries in promoting academic integrity is particularly important today, as educational challenges are increasingly global. The ETINED platform provides a space for open dialogue, sharing of best practices, and developing common solutions that strengthen trust in education,” said Dr. R. Cimmperman.

Established in 2015 by the Council of Europe, the ETINED Platform promotes ethical behavior at all levels of education, fosters transparency and integrity, and helps member states prevent unethical practices in the education sector.

More information about ETINED activities: https://www.coe.int/en/web/ethics-transparency-integrity-in-education/-/9th-etined-plenary-spotlights-open-school-data-and-integrity-in-education

 

At the AIS25 conference held in Copenhagen and organised by the European Commission, a new initiative – RAISE (Resource for AI Science in Europe) – was unveiled. The platform aims to strengthen Europe’s leadership in artificial intelligence (AI) research, foster collaboration between scientists, industry and policymakers, and ensure that AI development proceeds responsibly and ethically.

The event brought together more than 1,200 participants from over 50 countries. Attendees discussed how artificial intelligence can accelerate scientific discovery while helping to retain the human dimension in the age of technology.

World-renowned experts spoke at the conference, including Professor Yoshua Bengio (University of Montréal), Professor Max Welling (University of Amsterdam), Henna Virkkunen and Ekaterina Zaharieva from the European Commission, Christina Egelund, Danish Minister for Higher Education and Science, and David Dreyer Lassen, Rector of the University of Copenhagen.

An ambitious vision was presented – to double the European Union’s investments in artificial intelligence to €3 billion per year, provide scientists with access to the world’s most powerful supercomputers, and develop data infrastructures and doctoral networks to attract top global talent.

Discussions emphasised that public funding alone is not sufficient – strong private partnerships and long-term collaboration between science, business and policy stakeholders are essential.

Speakers highlighted that Europe must aim for leadership not only in innovation but also in trust and ethics – by building AI that is fair, responsible and preserves our humanity.

The conference’s artistic component included a film that invited reflection on identity, free will and the promises of human enhancement in the age of technology.

The AIS25 conference marked an important step in shaping the future direction of European science: “Science for AI. AI for Science.”

For more information, please visit ais25.eu.

On October 21, our team took part in first aid training, where we had the opportunity to put our knowledge into practice and gain new skills.

During the training, participants not only reviewed the key steps to take in critical situations but also learned how to respond correctly when immediate help can be vital. Such sessions remind us that first aid knowledge is among the most important life skills – sometimes, just a few right actions can save a person’s life.

We sincerely thank the Vilnius Public Health Bureau “Vilnius sveikiau” for conducting the training in such an engaging, clear, and professional way.

 

Photo from the Office’s archive

The Office of the Ombudsperson for Academic Ethics and Procedures of the Republic of Lithuania is beginning a new stage of international cooperation by joining the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) network activity “PrimSeedPower.”

The first meeting of this initiative, led by Professor Erna Karalija and co-led by Professor Vasileios Fotopoulos, brought together experts from across Europe. The project aims to contribute to the development of climate-resilient agriculture through the use of advanced seed priming technologies, based on scientific progress, collaboration, and ethical responsibility.

The initiative involves representatives from 27 European countries, including 19 Inclusiveness Target Countries. A total of 43 participants took part, ensuring an excellent gender balance – 50 percent women and 50 percent men – and engaging 16 young researchers and innovators under the age of 40.

Each working group contributes its unique expertise, while the overall collaboration strengthens a culture of openness, integrity, and respect that supports academic excellence and responsible science.

The Office is proud to be part of this international initiative – a community that unites not only science and innovation but also the values shared by the entire academic Europe. After all, it is collaboration, trust, and responsibility that help build a more sustainable and ethical future for science.

On October 17, the Adviser of the Office of the Ombudsperson for Academic Ethics and Procedures of the Republic of Lithuania (hereinafter – the Office), Dr. Rima Sinickė, and the Chief Analyst, Dr. Eglė Ozolinčiūtė, held an online meeting with the community of the Lithuanian Energy Institute (LEI). The meeting was conducted in English.

The seminar was opened by Dr. Asta Narkūnienė, a representative of the LEI Academic Ethics Committee, who welcomed the participants and gave the floor to Dr. Eimantas Neniškis. He presented the committee’s activities and the LEI Code of Ethics. Dr. Neniškis also discussed the institute’s key policy documents available in English and moderated the discussion, which was later continued by Dr. Diana Meilutytė-Lukauskienė.

The Office’s Adviser, Dr. Rima Sinickė, presented the main areas of the Office’s activities, while the Chief Analyst, Dr. Eglė Ozolinčiūtė, emphasized the importance of science communication. She introduced the COALESCE project and, within its context, the Science Communication Guidelines for Ethical Academic Communication, which will soon be published in English. Additionally, she discussed the most common academic ethics violations identified in the Responsible Research Barometer 2024, and presented one of the preventive measures – the research data management plan.

During the discussion, participants raised the question of whether quantitative indicators used in the assessment of research performance might indirectly encourage academic ethics violations, particularly those related to publishing and authorship. It was noted that the research community is increasingly emphasizing the need to shift from quantitative to qualitative evaluation criteria in order to foster a more ethical and sustainable research culture.

Participants were also invited to reflect on practical dilemmas and potential situations that may lead to academic ethics breaches in research activities.

In the second part of the seminar, Dr. Rima Sinickė focused on issues of authorship. She discussed the challenges of unethical authorship, explained how authorship contribution and order should be evaluated ethically, and clarified when individuals who contributed to a publication should be acknowledged rather than included as co-authors.

Later, the discussion turned to the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in the study process, with an overview of the guidelines for the ethical use of AI. Participants were introduced to how various publishers regulate AI use in the preparation of scientific publications, and the main trends in ethical AI application in research and education were summarized.

At the end of the meeting, it was agreed that cooperation on academic ethics issues would continue. The Office invited members of the LEI community to take part in upcoming online training sessions, conferences, and other initiatives, as well as to follow the Office’s newsletters, which provide relevant information and invitations to participate in ongoing activities.