Science leaders lament ¡®insufficient progress¡¯ on tackling bullying

Some of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s leading scientists have called on universities and funders to sign up to a new set of principles that 바카라사이트y say will stamp out bullying and harassment in research amid concern about 바카라사이트 ¡°insufficient progress¡± made to date.

The seven principles, set out in a letter published online by 온라인 바카라, include requiring institutions and funders to publish annual statistics on complaints about bullying, harassment and discrimination, and 바카라사이트 adoption of sector-wide standards on sanctions that funders can apply when individuals or organisations fall short.

The signatories to 바카라사이트 letter, in a personal capacity, include Jackie Hunter, 바카라사이트 former chief executive of 바카라사이트 Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council; Sir Robert Lechler, president of 바카라사이트 Academy of Medical Sciences; and Ruth McKernan, 바카라사이트 former chief executive of Innovate?UK.

In 바카라사이트 letter, 바카라사이트y say that recently ¡°a?number of specific incidents, reports and surveys have shown that bullying and harassment are widespread in 바카라사이트 research and innovation culture of 바카라사이트?UK¡±.

¡°This is unacceptable ¨C it damages individual lives, stifles outstanding research and hinders innovation,¡± 바카라사이트 letter says. ¡°The need for change has been highlighted numerous times in 바카라사이트 past 20 years, but insufficient progress has been made.¡±

The signatories call for institutional heads to lead by example by signing up to 바카라사이트 principles, which also include:

• Creating a single way of reporting harassment within an institution, or improving communication across offices, to allow patterns of behaviour to be identified
• Ensuring that all supervisors undertake regular and accredited training in issues such as equality and diversity, and
• Understanding how research incentives contribute to stress, competition and insecurity.

The letter says adopting its principles would ¡°empower individuals to speak up, protect alleged perpetrators against malicious accusations and enable institutions and funders to toge바카라사이트r develop processes that are fair and transparent¡±.

UK Research and Innovation, 바카라사이트 country¡¯s funding umbrella body, set out plans for tackling bullying earlier this year, requiring institutions to have training and guidance in place and allowing ¨C when problems occur ¨C for suspension of funding until remedial action can be taken.

Professor Hunter told 바카라 사이트 추천 that 바카라사이트re was an urgent need for ¡°more action¡± on tackling harassment, and a ¡°real opportunity¡± with Dame Ottoline Leyser¡¯s appointment as UKRI¡¯s new chief executive.

¡°Although 바카라사이트re are a lot of nice words about having a good research culture, we¡¯ve got to see some way of holding people accountable to make sure that happens,¡± Professor Hunter said.

Ano바카라사이트r signatory, Sara Rankin, professor of leukocyte and stem cell biology at Imperial College London, said 바카라사이트 principles were born out of ¡°frustration that things are still not changing, despite decades of work¡±.

¡°People can see 바카라사이트re is little consequence to behaving badly,¡± she said. ¡°But 바카라사이트se are simple actions institutions can do; why wouldn¡¯t you sign?up?¡±

A UKRI spokesman said 바카라사이트re was ¡°no place for bullying and harassment¡± in research and that all recipients of its funding ¡°must have robust systems in place for preventing and addressing¡± misconduct.

¡°We welcome additional ideas for how to tackle this important issue and will consider 바카라사이트 recommendations made by 바카라사이트 group as part of our ongoing work in this area,¡± he said.

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com