A new interactive online Portal (see it here) has recently been launched to support victims and other people who have suffered from misconduct and questionable practices in research and education (e.g. work plagiarised, not recognised as an author in a publication, whistleblower, victim of abuse).
The Portal aims to raise awareness and provide advice to anyone who seeks help and wishes to expose individual and/or institutional malpractice or unethical behaviour. Those using the Portal can discuss their problems in confidence and receive support from a dedicated mentor, with expertise in a relevant aspect of academic and research integrity (e.g. plagiarism, publication ethics, mentorship, data manipulation, etc.). Mentors are academics and experts from the European Network for Academic Integrity (ENAI) and from the Erasmus+ FAITH (Facing Academic Integrity Threats) project, who will dedicate their time to supporting and advising people on their cases.
People who have experienced misconduct and questionable practices in research and education will be offered guidance on the actions to take according to the nature of their case. Moreover, with permission from the victim, after appropriate anonymisation of any personal information, details of cases can be shared on the Portal, allowing others to comment and provide guidance. People facing similar threats may refer to previous cases for guidance, building a powerful community of support against misconduct and questionable practices in research and education in academia.
The Portal also offers resources (e.g. blog, bibliography, guideline documents, and real-life stories) on issues related to academic and research malpractice. A webinar will take place on the 9th December 2022 (13:00 CET) to present the Victim Support Portal. Find more information and the registration link here.
The Victim Support Portal has no geographical barriers. Anyone can post their query in any language. In fact, the main aim of this Portal is to expand and support people from all over the world. Speak up against misconduct and questionable practices in research and education! Spread the word about this Portal! And if you have appropriate expertise, please join the supporting network. Feel free to email the network at: victims@academicintegrity.eu if you want to find out more. If you seek help with a case of misconduct or questionable practice in research and education, then please post the details of your case via the Portal.