On June 2-5, 2019, the research community will have an exciting opportunity to gather in Hong Kong at a global forum and address the challenges of promoting research integrity and the responsible conduct of research. The 6^th edition of the World Conference on Research Integrity (WCRI) will be back in Asia for the first time since its 2010 meeting produced the groundbreaking Singapore Statement on Research Integrity ). This time, the focus will be “New Challenges for Research Integrity”.

What is the WCRI?

The World Conferences on Research Integrity are run by an independent foundation drawn from academia, funders, publishers and others involved in the research enterprise. The conferences offer an opportunity to consider research integrity issues from a wide variety of professional, cultural and geographic perspectives. They are a collaborative effort of the WCRIF Governing Board, an international program committee, and local co-chairs, in this case from Hong Kong and Australia, the 2019 conference co-hosts.

 A conference that matters

The study of research integrity has led to a growing body of knowledge on how and why research practices diverge from responsible conduct of research. The primary goal of the 6^th WCRI is to draw on this body of knowledge and apply the evidence to develop effective practices and solutions to the challenges facing researchers, funders, publishers and institutions. Key topics include:

• Transparency in research
• Replication, reproducibility and research waste
• Better ways of managing research misconduct
• Embedding education on responsible conduct of research
• Exploring the possible impact of cultural differences on the conduct of research
• How to ensure integrity in innovation and impact
• Institutional assessment of researchers

Learn

The conference includes plenary sessions, symposia, pre-conference workshops and a forum devoted to doctoral students studying research integrity. There will also be “meet the expert” sessions, providing a more personal learning opportunity. Topics for the seven plenaries include how to assess the role of funding agencies in shaping responsible research practices, predatory journals and open data and a focus on Asia: recent advances in fostering research integrity.

The plenary sessions feature distinguished speakers from diverse backgrounds and regions. They include:

• Christa Van Zyl, Director, Office of the Deputy CEO for Research in the South African Human Sciences Research Council
• David Moher, Senior Scientist in the Clinical Epidemiology Program and Director of the Centre for Journalology at the University of Ottawa, Canada
• Bhushan Patwardhan, Vice-Chairman, University Grants Commission, New Delhi, India
• Mark McMillan, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Indigenous Education and Engagement), RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia
• Professor Xue Xikun, Vice President for Research, Tsinghua University
• Anne-Marie Coriat, Head of UK and Europe Research Landscape, Wellcome Trust
• Professor Tang Li, Professor in Public Policy, Fudan University

Discuss

The conference offers more than just interesting presentations! Symposia and Focus Tracks provide the opportunity to engage directly with speakers and other participants, and to explore specific topics in greater depth. This year’s Focus Tracks address how we can improve the organizational assessment of researchers, and how to ensure integrity in innovation and impact. The seven Symposia will examine issues of significant practical importance, including essential areas for better peer review, consideration of whether preprints are beneficial or harmful for research integrity, new ideas to promote transparency in research, and the sharing of industry data.

Share

At poster presentations and poster walks, break-out sessions and equally importantly, at breaks, conference participants will have a wealth of opportunity to share experiences, both formally and informally, about practices that have been successful or that show promise. These networking opportunities offer an invaluable way to forge new partnerships or strengthen existing ones.

Join us!

Be part of this stimulating gathering that promises to advance our collective understanding of research integrity. From the campus of the University of Hong Kong, in the heart of that dynamic city, the 6^th WCRI will provide a welcoming atmosphere in which to exchange ideas and harness knowledge to practice in the promotion of responsible conduct of research.