The CBMA is committed to achieving excellence in research and education. We are engaged in research of the highest international quality by bringing together expertise of multiple scientific fields to address present and future science and society challenges within a stimulating environment. The pursuit of excellent research and the achievement of our responsibilities to researchers, research users and the wider community require the preservation of the highest standards of integrity. We strongly believe in ethics, quality and good governance as pillars of our research and teaching practices. Our commitment to these values is laid out in the University Of Minho Code Of Ethical Conduct which constitutes an ethical guideline that frames the teaching and research activities, as well as those that pertain to the University’s relationship with society. As far as research is concerned this code is ruled by the following principles and attitudes:
1
To ensure an ethical basis for all activities of research;
2
To ensure that all research is conducted in compliance with the safety norms and protocols for people and goods;
3
To manage with transparency, justice and thrift the financial means delivered by the funding entities in order to ensure the success of the project within the target date;
4
To properly supervise the work developed by the students attending study cycles leading to the masters and doctor degrees, as well as postdoctoral grant holders and other researchers;
5
To keep appropriate records that allow for the verification of the research results;
6
To ensure confidentiality in order to protect intellectual property, whenever such is applicable;
7
To ensure that the referencing of the sources used in the production of scientific work is rigorous and comprehensive;
8
To safeguard respect for copyright, making adequate mention of the sources used in the work;
9
To ensure the correct inclusion of the names of the authors and co-authors in the respective publications, as well as the due acknowledgement of other collaborators, where justifiable;
10
To safeguard the principle of freedom of research.
As part of the CBMA commitment it is the responsibility of every staff member and student to maintain high standards of integrity compatible with the values of intellectual honesty, methodological and experimental accuracy, unbiased analysis of data and respect for intellectual property.
CBMA has available a set of training programmes targeting graduate students, postdocs and fellows, and academics to offer up-to-date information and guidance on research integrity matters.