Committee for Scientific Integrity of Universities of the Arts 

Universities of applied science are responsible for higher vocational education, and also increasingly acting as knowledge institutions. The practice-based research that is conducted at these institutions, must comply with high quality standards. Therefore, the Netherlands Association of Universities of Applied Sciences adopted the policy to implement the Netherlands Code of Conduct for Research Integrity (NGWI, October 2018) at all Universities of Applied Science. 

The seven monosectoral universities of the arts also adhere to the norms of this code of Conduct. Amsterdam University of the Arts, ArtEZ, Codarts, Design Academy Eindhoven, HKDH, HKU and Rietveld Academie established a collective Committee for Scientific Integrity (CWI-KUO) for the arts education per 1 January 2023. This committee has the task to process any complaints concerning integrity. The cooperation between the seven universities of the arts ensures that the expertise in practice-based research in the arts is properly and broadly represented.

The code of conduct

In the NGWI, five broadly supported principles are formulated that serve as the basis for the integrity of research practices: honesty, thoroughness, transparency, impartiality and responsibility. These principles are worked out in more concrete standards for sound research practices that should be upheld by researchers and other parties involved in the research. They are formulated for each phase of scientific research: design, conduct, reporting, evaluation and peer review, and communication.

Tasks of the CWI-KUO

The tasks of CWI-KUO are described in the Academic Integrity Complaints Regulations for Universities of the Arts (Article 3.5):

a. The committee investigates complaints about suspected violations of academic integrity, judges whether or not, or to what extent, academic integrity has been violated and advises the executive board on the matter.

b. At the request of the executive board, the committee can conduct an investigation into a suspected violation of academic integrity and advise on it without a complaint being lodged.

c. The committee also advises the executive boards of the participating institutions on the university’s policy for the prevention of violations of academic integrity, whether by request or unrequested.