Ombudsperson for Academic Ethics and Procedures of the Republic of Lithuania
Curriculum Vitae Ombudsperson agendaOn the 13th of December, the Government Strategic Analysis Center hosted a seminar for doctoral supervisors “Research Ethics for Supervisors” (in English) organized by the Office of the Ombudsperson for Academic Ethics and Procedures. In the first part of the seminar it’s lecturer PhD Sonja Bjelobaba (Uppsala University, Sweden) spoke not only about the significance of research ethics in specific areas of science, the characteristics of a reliable researcher, violations of publication ethics and aspects of predatory publishing, but also invited to evaluate own experience and to discuss it with the colleagues. By sharing insights, the participants of the seminar raised difficult questions, such as the status of a doctoral supervisor as a co-author when his/her student publishes articles. The second part of the seminar focused exactly on this topic – the role of a researcher as a doctoral supervisor.
It is often forgotten that supervision of the doctoral student is a process of entire study period; therefore, a doctoral supervisor must take responsibility for his/her doctoral student: 1) by acquainting him/her with all the rules ensuring compliance with academic ethics, and 2) by making sure that the doctoral student has full permission to conduct his/her research and to publish its results. During the doctoral student’s research, the supervisor must take part in the whole process of training the doctoral student as a researcher: 1) deciding not only on the topic of the research, but also on the course and the plan how to implement it, 2) conducting the research, and 3) presenting and publishing the results of the research. In other words, the supervisor does not do work for the doctoral student but is interested in the process at each stage of it, consults and advices, while the doctoral student has to understand his/her rights and duties, take responsibility for the study process, research and its results, expect challenges and provide an action plan in case of stressful situations.
At the end of the seminar, the participants were given time to try out the online version of the game Professionalism and Integrity in Research developed by Erasmus University Rotterdam. Its purpose is to check your own “moral compass” and discuss chosen situations in groups.
Download the material of the seminar: Research Ethics for Supervisors
How to cite the material of the seminar: Bjelobaba, S. (2019) “Research Ethics for Supervisors” [pdf]. Online access: www.etikostarnyba.lt.