A project containing suggested amendments to the act of 2010 regulating the work of Commission for Research Integrity (CIR) has been forwarded to the Ministry of Education and Science In August 2022 – no decision has been communicated yet. In April 2022 CIR met with President of PAS prof. J. Duszyński. Current organizational and legislative issues have been discussed as well as means to strenghten the work of CRI. A meeting between CRI and Council for Scientific Excellence was held on 1 August 2022 which dealt with the need to modify the legislation relevant for promotion to full professorship. As pointed out earlier by CRI referees should have access to complete scientific output of a candidate (and not only to its fragments selected by a candidate). In addition, the evaluation should also include ethical aspects of a candidate scientific activity.

The report encompasses the activity of the Committee on Ethics in Science in the year 2018.

The report encompasses the activity of the Commission for Ethics in Science in the year 2019.

The commission held 8 meetings using a hybrid approach to its work (remote work as well as work on-premises). CRI has pointed to shortcomings of remote work in science and education, where direct contacts between members of academic community assure optimal envirnment for achieving highest standards of research and teaching. Moreover, focusing the vast majority of research on COVID-related projects endangers progress in other scientific disciplines while an exaggerated pressure for the fast development of new anti-COVID medications may cause lowering of standards used to evaluate research results. CRI has expressed its concern caused by activities of Ministry of Education and Science related to s.c. „freedom package” – a planned amendments to Act on Higher Education and Science. CRI believes that the proposed changes may endanger academic freedom and contribute to dissemination of knowledge not based on solid scientific grounds. Following consultations with the entire Polish academic and scientific community CRI has amended its Code of Conduct for Research Integrity and published its updated version (approved by General Assembly of PAS on 25 June 2020). The new version addresses in a more detail the issue of conflict of interest (CoI). CRI believes that the issue of CoI is of growing importance in science, medicine and other aspects of human activities. Following the examples of leading universities and research institutions CRI has introduced an ethical requirement to report – on an annual basis – the existing CoI to university/research institute administration for possible instructions informing if and how such existing CoI need to be adjusted.

In 2021 Commission for Research Integrity continued her basic mission related to ethical oversight of research carried out at universities and scientific institutions. Commission has been dealing with specific cases suggesting scientific misconduct. Furthermore, Commission has been engaged in promotion of the rules of research integrity (seminars, lectures). Moreover, Commission has been formulating its opinions regarding key matters related to integrity in science. Recently, Commission addressed the issue of promotion to the level of full professor even by candidates who have committed scientific misconduct in publications not included in the formal proceedings leading to professorship. Commission believes that this situation is deplorable and requires immediate correction. Commission has been created by democratic decisions of the entire scientific and academic community and is autonomous in its decisions.