Foreword

Good research flourishes in an academic climate characterized by honesty, scrupulousness, transparency, independence and responsibility—five principles that form the basis of this Amsterdam UMC Research Code. To create and maintain such a climate requires awareness, support, and ongoing dialogues among all people who need to understand what these principles mean and how they should be lived in day-to-day practice. These dialogues are important because scientific research does not take place in splendid isolation: we are part and parcel of a dynamic world that both influences the way in which we perform research and, in turn, is influenced by our work.

Three important trends may illustrate this.

  1. First, the digital transformation has prominently impacted the technological possibilities for doing science, as well as our ways of collaborating and communicating about science. This urges us to rethink, for example, the dilemma between protecting individuals’ privacy when handling datasets and the societal call for reuse of data. Also, Artificial Intelligence opens new possibilities, but may create new dilemma’s. Another continuous challenge is how to use social media responsibly, without over-simplifying complex messages.
  2. Second, the Open Science movement has raised a multitude of new questions, such as those relating to research collaborations. What information should we share with whom, when and under what conditions?
  3. Third, the scientific world has become increasingly competitive: many highly motivated and skilled researchers compete for a very limited number of grants and tenured positions. This may lead to undue pressure on both junior and senior researchers to produce and publish—preferably positive—study results. The unsustainable stress in the current science system has prompted a national and European discussion about redefining the existing framework for recognizing and rewarding performance of researchers, beyond merely counting publications. Related to this is also the attention for our research culture, psycho-social safety and supervision.

    The Research Code-applicable to all people performing research at Amsterdam UMC, as well as Amsterdam UMC employees involved in research elsewhere, can provide guidance and stimulate an ongoing dialogue about what good research entails.

    The Amsterdam UMC executive board is grateful to the editorial board of this new edition of the Amsterdam UMC Research Code and to all other contributors. We trust that this document will help researchers to work collectively to preserve their independence and integrity, and to deliver high quality scientific research. We call upon all Amsterdam UMC researchers to bring the Research Code to life on a day-to-day basis in their research practices. Therefore, we kindly ask you make use of our à la carte menu for responsible research and to put topics addressed in this Code on the agenda of your regular team meetings, to discuss research integrity at research symposia, to pay attention to the wellbeing of your team members and most of all: to make it a habit to share your dilemmas and best practices with colleagues.

    Prof. Hans van Goudoever, chair of the executive board
    Prof. Saskia Peerdeman and Prof. Yvo Roos, deans and members of the executive board