Research Integrity Training

Research Student Training Requirements

UCD is strongly committed to the highest standards of integrity in all aspects of research. 

Research Integrity Training is a compulsory element of all Research Degree programmes for students admitted after 31 August 2019. Students admitted before this date may also take the training.

This training requirement can be met during your research programme by taking either:

  1. An Online Research Integrity Training for Research Degree Students (see below), available in five discipline areas which takes an estimated 5 hours. There are no credits associated with this course but upon successful completion of the multiple-choice quiz at the end of the course, you will receive a certificate.
  2. Research Integrity Module SCI50020 in which online training is accompanied by face to face workshops with discussion of specific case studies. This module attracts five ECTS credits and is most suitable for science and engineering research students.

These Research Integrity training courses provide you with an opportunity to better understand your obligations and responsibilities as researchers, identify the challenges you could face in meeting those responsibilities and practical advice on how to deal with complex situations in which you may find yourself.

Learn More: explore the University Research Integrity Policy

Online Research Integrity Training for Research Degree Students

This online Research Integrity course provides you, as an early stage researcher, with an opportunity to better understand your obligations and responsibilities along with practical advice on how to deal with complex situations in which you may find yourself. This course will help you develop self-assessment techniques which will be invaluable throughout your career.

<strong>Online </strong> Research Integrity Training for Research Degree Students

Upon successful completion of the multiple-choice quiz at the end of the course, you will be able to download a certificate. Having this certificate meets the university requirement for graduate research students to satisfactorily complete research integrity training, prior to submission of your thesis at the completion of your research programme.

  • The course can be completed in your own time, is available in five discipline areas and takes an estimated 5 hours. 
  • To access the course, please email RITraining@ucd.ie with your name and UCD email address, and you will be provided with a link and log-in details.

Please Note: The current version of the Epigeum Course will be updated with a new and improved version in September 2021 and hosted on Brightspace. To allow researchers time to complete the exisiting course before the 31st August 2021 close-day, the final day to register to the exisiting course is 31st July 2021.   If you register for the existing version you will need to complete the course by the 31st August 2021.

 

When you log onto the Epigeum website you will see the following screen. The course to choose is the one entitled ‘Research Integrity (INT Version)’ - bordered in red.

Epigeum Impact Programs

Please note that completion of the ‘Research Integrity: Concise’ course does not fulfil the university requirement for graduate research students.

View the Epigeum Step-by-Step Guide for completing the course 

Background

UCD is a member of the Irish Universities Association’s Research Integrity Forum. This Forum negotiated a National Subscription for an online Research Integrity Training Course for research students and faculty from Epigeum. Epigeum is a leading provider of online courses for the university sector. Courses are developed through global collaboration of experts and partner universities including UCD. This is funded by the IUA, THEA, HRB, IRC, SFI, EI, DAFM, EPA, Teagasc and the Marine Institute.

Online Training FAQ

  1. You will need to email ritraining@ucd.ie requesting access and provide your email address, first name and second name
  2. You will be sent an email to your preferred email address from epigeumtechnical@oup.com or technical@eipgeum.com. If you do not receive the email within 48 hours, please check your Spam folder. If you still don’t see it, please contact graduatestudies@ucd.ie

The expected time to complete is 300 minutes/5 hours but it may take longer depending on the individual.

Please note that the concise course is not appropriate and does not fullfil the university requirement for graduate research students.

No, you may log on and off the course as needed until you have completed the course, passed successfully and are ready to download your certificate. Please keep your certificate safe as this will be requested by funding agencies as proof that you have successfully completed the course.

You must achieve a minimum of 80% in the test at the end of the course to be successful and have the ability to download the certificate.

Yes, The National Policy Statement on Ensuring Research Integrity in Ireland was published in June 2014. The signatories to the statement are the main research-performing and research-funding organisations in Ireland. They have agreed the following four commitments:

  • Commitment 1 – We are committed to ensuring the highest standards of integrity in all aspects of our research, founded on basic principles of good research practice to be observed by all researchers and research organisations.
  • Commitment 2 – Education and promotion of good research practice are the foundations of research integrity. We are committed to maintaining a national research environment that is founded upon a culture of integrity, embracing internationally recognised good practice and a positive, proactive approach to promoting research integrity. This will include support for the development of our researchers through education and promotion of good research practices.
  • Commitment 3 – We are committed to working together to reinforce and safeguard the integrity of the Irish research system and to reviewing progress regularly.
  • Commitment 4 – We are committed to using transparent, robust and fair processes to deal with allegations of research misconduct when they arise.

The course that is appropriate to early-stage researchers is the one entitled ‘Research Integrity (INT Version)’.

Research Integrity 2

Within the Research Integrity Course you must take one of five disciplinary strands which best suits your area of research i.e.

  • Arts and Humanities
  • Biomedical Sciences
  • Engineering and Technology
  • Natural and Physical Sciences
  • Social and Behavioural Sciences

The ‘concise’ course is appropriate for experienced researchers usually at the associate professor or professor level.

UCD Research Integrity

Learn more about policies & procedures relating to Research Integrity at UCD

View Here