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.

The article discusses the problem of counteracting academic promotion won on the basis of apparent achievements. Attention was drawn to the growing problem of so-called “Slovak habilitation and degrees”, to the pedagogical promotion of persons from outside of pedagogy that is not justified by achievements of good quality, but is based on popular science publications, to the phenomenon of softening and ignoring negative reviews and the reviewers’ tendency to mitigate the final conclusions of their opinions. Some ways to prevent promotional pathology are also recommended as worth using in academic practices.

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.

There may be circumstances where academic degrees or the title of professor are obtained deceitfully, i.e. in breach of copyrights or moral principles in science. Dishonesty in scientific research constitutes gross misconduct because it is executed in order to appropriate ideas, findings, collocations and theses of others, without accurate citation of the source. It also entails infringement of intellectual property rights. Scientific misconduct in ethical and legal aspect is explicit. It disqualifies the offender as a scientist. The unlawful act of obtaining an academic degree (Ph.D.) or the title of professor in such a deceitful manner, irrespective of how much time has passed, shall not make the resumption condition fall under the statute of limitations. Thus, it enables the reopening of procedures to deprive the person who deceitfully obtained an academic degree or title of this degree or title.