Ethics and Integrity In Research

At Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi and at SAFIR Institute, ethics and integrity are core values upheld by researchers. Across all disciplines—humanities, law, social sciences, and the natural sciences—the university is committed to promoting responsible, rigorous, and ethically sound research practices in accordance with international standards. 

The university’s approach to research ethics is based on internationally recognised standards and is articulated around the following core principles: 

Integrity: Upholding honesty, accuracy, and transparency in all phases of research, from design to dissemination. 

Responsibility: Ensuring that research respects human dignity, cultural diversity, environmental sustainability, and legal frameworks. 

Academic Freedom and Independence: Encouraging open inquiry and critical thinking, while maintaining objectivity and avoiding conflicts of interest. 

Accountability and Traceability: Promoting clear documentation and openness to review, enabling reproducibility and public trust. 

The Committee provides oversight and guidance to ensure research compliance with international and local standards. It considers policies, procedures and guidance regarding ethical issues arising from research that involves human participants and personal data. 

All research projects involving human participants, personal data, or sensitive contexts are subject to ethical review. This ensures legal compliance in research while supporting researchers through the process. The Ethics and Compliance Committee ensures compliance with legal frameworks and ethical standards, providing guidance and support to researchers throughout the process. 

Ethical research is a collective responsibility. All members of the university community—faculty, researchers, affiliate researchers, doctoral candidates, and students— are expected to act with integrity and to consult relevant guidelines and bodies when ethical questions arise. 

Each individual is responsible for identifying potential ethical issues in their research and, in the case of ethically sensitive issues, for obtaining instructions from the Ethical and Compliance Committee. 

The university has also committed itself to raising the researchers' and students' awareness of research ethics. Training sessions and documents will be shared with researchers and students.