VIRT²UE: A European train-the-trainer programme for teaching research integrity

Abstract

Universities and other research institutions are increasingly providing additional training in research integrity to improve the quality and reliability of research. Various training courses have been developed, with diverse learning goals and content. Despite the importance of training that focuses on moral character and professional virtues, there remains a lack of training that adopts a virtue ethics approach. To address this, we, a European Commission-funded consortium, have designed a train-the-trainer programme for research integrity. The programme is based on (1) virtue ethics, (2) the ethos of science, (3) learning by doing and (4) learner-centred teaching. The blended learning programme combines e-learning modules with participatory group sessions. Trainers are taught how to guide researchers through a series of structured exercises for fostering reflection on scientific virtues, and how to promote understanding and application of the European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity. Trainers are provided with adaptable tools and resources that can be used and combined in different ways. The programme implementation began in Spring 2020 and 470 trainers have participated to date. When trainers were asked to grade – between 0 (very bad) and 10 (excellent) – the e-learning modules and the participatory exercises, 60% scored a grade 8 or higher (median = 8, IQR = 2) for the e-learning modules, whereas 80% scored a grade 8 or higher (median = 9, IQR = 1) for the participatory exercises. A majority felt that the training helped them as a trainer to learn about ways to organise and teach a research integrity course (82%) and would recommend the interactive exercises to others (92%). Trainers have educated over 3300 researchers in Europe using our virtue-based approach. The VIRT2UE train-the-trainer programme fosters research integrity by providing trainers with exercises and tools which enable them to stimulate the development of good researchers across Europe.

‘I should do what?’ Addressing research misconduct through values alignment

“…Current discourse and efforts to promote agent-centred ethics for RI is primarily focussed upon the cultivation of certain virtues that are deemed important (Evans et al, 2023) rather than values. Virtues are so embedded that they can be regarded as part of a person's character and their development requires effort, time, positive role models, appropriate feedback and experience.…”

Ethics support for ethics support: the development of the Confidentiality Compass for dealing with moral challenges concerning (breaching) confidentiality in moral case deliberation

“…Not only reflecting on idealistic or hypothetical values or principles that matter in the specific situation, but also on the question: what does being a good MCD facilitator mean to me? These elements from virtue ethics are also used in other forms of ethics support [36].…”

A multi-dimensional learning strategy to foster research integrity

“…At these levels, training sessions should focus on providing more specific competencies by incorporating in this some elements that focus on the development of researchers’ moral character (Evans et al, 2023; Inguaggiato et al, 2023). Besides providing information concerning rules, codes and policies, training sessions should take into consideration strategies acting on researchers’ moral behaviour and the development of professional virtues (Pennock and O’Rourke, 2017; Pizzolato and Dierickx, 2021; Tomić et al, 2022).…”