“Yes, I will adhere to scientific integrity”

It seems rather logical for a PhD student to abide by the rules around scientific integrity.

“It is, but since this week the newly promoted doctor, whom we call “the young doctor”, has to make it explicit after the defence that he or she will actually do so. The supervisor then asks the candidate if he or she will promise to behave as an independent researcher according to the principles of scientific integrity: to conduct research honestly and carefully, transparently, independently and responsibly.”

And a positive answer must be given to this.

“In principle, of course we do. We expect the young doctor to give an explicit and positive answer to that question at the end of the defence. He or she must answer, ‘Yes, I will adhere to the code of conduct around scientific integrity as a researcher.”’

It sounds like a marriage.

(Haha): “Indeed, it does look like that: ‘Yes, I will abide by that’ is similar to the answer you are expected to give at the city hall, where you have to confirm your marital fidelity with an explicit answer. We now want the same at the UvA.”

But seriously, what if the young doctor answers ‘no’?

“We talked about that theoretical case, of course, but that is really a theoretical and therefore irrelevant case. I don't expect anyone to abandon their approved PhD by suddenly saying after the defence that, as an independent researcher, they are not going to abide by the code of scientific integrity. Should it happen anyway, I suspect the chair of the doctoral committee will intervene. If that were me, I would probably put forward that the young doctor is joking.”

What if the young doctor replies that he will abide by the rules of conduct, but then fails to do so in the rest of his life?

“Time will have to tell what we will do then, but that also depends very much on the person doctor in question. For someone who holds a scientific position within the university after his doctorate, it will probably have consequences, but for someone who manifests himself as an independent doctoral researcher outside the university, it may not.”

Shouldn’t such a question also be asked of students when they are awarded their master’s degree?

“No, I don’t think so. What matters is that PhD graduates are expected to be able to conduct research independently after their PhD, without supervision from anyone. That does not apply to graduates. Suppose a student wants to do doctoral research after graduation, there will always be a supervisor to see to it that that person adheres to the rules of integrit.”