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Research Misconduct can be characterised as behaviours or actions that fall short of the standards of ethics, research and scholarship required to ensure that the integrity of research is upheld. It can cause harm to people and the environment, wastes resources, undermines the research record and damages the credibility of research.

³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ expects that all staff and students engaged in research will conduct their research responsibly and in a way that supports public trust in ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ’s research methods and findings and complies with all relevant legal and professional standards, including ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ’s research misconduct policies and processes.

³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ considers any allegation of research misconduct to be a matter of great concern and will investigate any such allegation fully in accordance with the Research Misconduct Policy and Procedures.

Regardless of discipline and institution, the fundamental factor in ensuring the quality of research and research practices has to be the honesty of the individual investigator. Investigators should be honest with respect to their own work, which means subscribing to proper scientific practices such as acknowledging the contributions of colleagues or collaborators, ensuring veracity of data, and acting with integrity in the depiction of results and conclusions. However, investigators are also expected to be honest in relation to the work of their colleagues and peers. Colluding in, or concealing, the misconduct of others is not compatible with an environment which encourages intellectual honesty and is, therefore, in itself misconduct.

³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ's Research Misconduct Policy and Procedures (Regulation 21) are intended to satisfy the requirements of the Research Councils, Charities and others who fund research at ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ that the University has proper mechanisms in place for the management of complaints of research fraud or misconduct. It also meets the University’s commitments under the UK Concordat to support research integrity.

³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ has adopted the definitions of research misconduct set out in the UK Concordat to support research integrity. These definitions give indicative descriptions of the types of activity covered by this Regulation. These descriptions are neither exclusive nor exhaustive. Interpretation of the terms will involve judgements, which should be guided by previous experience and decisions made on matters of misconduct in research. They can be summarised as:

1. Fabrication;

2. Falsification;

3. Plagiarism;

4. Failure to meet legal, ethical and professional obligations, including the legal and ethical requirements for research involving human or animal subjects; data protection, and breaches of confidence

5. Misrepresentation of data, interests and involvement, including conflicts of interest.
6. Improper dealings with allegations of misconduct.

The Regulation also covers Questionable Research Practices (QRPs).  QRPs refer to minor infractions or research practices, including avoidable errors, which fall short of the definition of intentional research misconduct. These may arise due to a lack of knowledge or attention to detail, negligence, or deliberate action, and may occur where there is no evident intention to deceive.

Enquiries about the operation of these procedures, or about potential cases of misconduct should be addressed to Jonathan Hancock, Director of Research Integrity Investigations: Jonathan.hancock@imperial.ac.uk

Concerns about, and allegations of, potential research misconduct may also be made in writing to Jonathan Hancock, Director of Research Integrity Investigations, or to the research misconduct mailbox: researchmisconduct@imperial.ac.uk 

In accordance with its commitments under the UK Concordat to Support Research Integrity the University provides the Council with an annual report on research integrity, which includes a high-level statement on any formal investigations of research misconduct that have been completed in the previous year. The most recent report is published on the Annual statement on research integrity 2025 page.

Copies of previous years annual reports are available below:

Annual statement on research integrity 2024

Annual statement on research integrity 2023

Annual statement on research integrity 2022

Research integrity report 2021

Research Integrity Report 2020 [pdf]

Research Integrity Report - 2019 [pdf]

Research Integrity Report - 2018 [pdf]

Research Integrity Report - 2017 [pdf]

Research Misconduct Report - 2016 [pdf]

Some of these earlier documents do not meet accessibility requirements. Please email Jonathan Hancock, Director of Research Integrity Investigations: Jonathan.hancock@imperial.ac.uk for an accessible version.