Research ethics and integrity

Published 26.6.2023 | Updated 3.5.2024

The guiding principle for responsible research and research ethics is protecting the research subject and the research environment. Researchers must take research ethics into consideration during the entire lifespan of their research: they must adhere to ethical data management and research methods and ensure that participation in the research is voluntary and that research participant’s right to privacy and safety is protected.

Uniarts Helsinki is committed to the Finnish Code of Conduct for Research Integrity and Procedures for Handling Alleged Violations of Research Integrity (2023) issued by the Finnish National Board on Research Integrity TENK. The guidelines are also applied to artistic research and artistic productions related to research. The responsibility to comply with the principles of responsible conduct of research rests on the whole research community and on each individual researcher.

Ethical review

In Finland, certain research design elements require an ethical review of research. The Ethical Review Committee of Uniarts Helsinki assessesa research being planned in a way that emphasises the anticipation and prediction of any potential harm that may
be caused to the people participating in the research due to the research or its results.In human sciences and in research where methods of human sciences are used, ethical review is carried out in accordance with a set of guidelines drawn up by TENK.

Sometimes, the ethical review may be demanded by publishers or research funders. Uniarts Helsinki recommends conducting an ethical review also when the researcher plans on processing special categories of personal data.

The more detailed guidelines concerning Uniarts Helsinki’s ethical review are available in Artsi.

Uniarts Helsinki’s Ethical Review Committee

The Ethical Review Committee of Uniarts Helsinki assesses a study upon request.

1 January 2024 to 31 December 2026,

Professor Heidi Partti, Chair
Vice-Dean Laura Gröndahl 
Doctoral candidate Hanna Pajala-Assefa
University lecturer Saijaleena Rantanen
Head of the Research Institute Leena Rouhiainen

Riikka Palonkorpi, PhD, Secretary

A representative of the Legal Services also attends the committee’s meetings. 

Research permit

When a researcher outside of the Uniarts Helsinki community wants to carry out research that concerns Uniarts Helsinki’s staff, they need to apply for a research permit. If you need guidance concerning research permits, you can contact Senior advisor  Riikka Palonkorpi of the research service team, riikka.palonkorpi (at) uniarts.fi.

Support for research ethics

Coordination of Uniarts Helsinki’s research ethics related matters, Senior advisor Riikka Palonkorpi (PhD) from the research service team, riikka.palonkorpi@uniarts.fi (training seminars concerning responsible research, ethical review, general guidance on research ethics and integrity).

Research integrity advisers

Uniarts Helsinki has appointed research integrity advisers in accordance with the guidelines issued by TENK. The advisers are tasked with promoting awareness of responsible conduct of research, i.e. research integrity. The advisers also offer Uniarts Helsinki’s staff and doctoral students the chance to have confidential discussions and to receive impartial support in cases of alleged misconduct.

The advisers have no authority in processes related to responsible conduct of research that are potentially launched, and they do not participate in them.

Uniarts Helsinki’s research integrity advisers are Kai Lehikoinen and Heidi Partti.

Violations of research integrity and procedures for handling allegations of misconduct

Violations of research integrity breach the basic principles of responsible conduct of research. They damage the quality and credibility of research and undermine research collaboration and authorship. These actions may also be against the law, in which case they are investigated also in official or judicial procedures in addition to the research integrity process. Differences of opinion and disagreements over theories, methods or interpretations of results are part of academic discourse and generally not research integrity violations.

In the Finnish system, violations of good research practices are divided into two categories: research misconduct and disregard for good research practices. You can read more about the topic in the RI Guidelines (2023).

If you suspect that research integrity has been violated, submit a notification via the Registry to Uniarts Helsinki’s rector using a form compiled by TENK: Notification form for an alleged research integrity violation 2023. (kirjaamo@uniarts.fi)

Notifications are processed in accordance with the processes described in the RI guidelines issued by TENK.

Allegations of misconduct concerning bachelor’s and master’s studies and thesis projects are not handled according to the process described in the RI Guidelines, and instead, the university follows its own internal processes and guidelines in these cases.