Responsible Research and Innovation
Our framework to support responsible research and innovation
Responsible research is research that is has a positive impact on society and is undertaken in the public interest. It is critical for research excellence and for maintaining public trust.
RRI aligns closely with the University’s values and purpose as set out in Our Vision through Research and Discovery Priority 3: an open and responsible research environment. That states, we will foster an environment which enables researchers to thrive and produce work of the highest quality in its ambition, creativity, rigour and integrity.
The University’s Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) Framework encapsulates the expectations and activities that support responsible research and innovation here at Manchester.
Here we explain our RRI Framework and give guidance on carrying our responsible research and innovation:
Our Values
We are driven by Our Values - knowledge, wisdom, humanity, academic freedom, courage and pioneering spirit.
Our Culture
The four themes in the central circle of the diagram above represent our University’s culture, embedded through our senior leadership, strategy and policies to encourage responsible research and innovation: integrity, empower, respect and safeguard.
Integrity
We are committed to fostering the highest standards of research integrity in line with our Code of Good Research Conduct and conducting our research within agreed ethical frameworks.
We are also committed to carrying out open and reproducible research.
Empower
We will provide researchers with the tools to conduct their research responsibly, in accordance with the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Framework for Responsible Research and Innovation (AREA) and recognise and reward them for doing so.
Visit: University of Manchester Statement of Research Expectations
Respect
We promote an environment where there is zero tolerance of discrimination, bullying, violence and harassment where all our people can fully achieve their professional and personal aspirations through our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy and associated action plan.
Safeguard
We are committed to protecting our researchers, students, research participants, the environment and cultural objects from harm.
Research governance, ethics and integrity – policies and guidance
Our Practice
The themes in the outer circle of the diagram above represent our University’s expectations of its researchers in their responsible delivery of research and innovation.
Open
Through our Office for Open Research, we promote the principles of transparency and rigour to encourage and increase collaboration and the reuse and reproducibility of research findings.
Trusted
We will ensure we have the necessary systems and resources in place so that our researchers can fulfil all relevant professional and compliance standards, including the UK’s Trusted Research framework.
Engaged
We engage with diverse people on our campus, in communities and around the world so we can deliver economic, social, cultural, health and wellbeing benefits for society and the environment.
Visit: Public Engagement
Impactful
We encourage the discovery of new knowledge. We also encourage its application in the development and creation of innovative solutions to benefit society and improve lives. We support researchers’ pathways to impact through our specialist Knowledge Exchange, Impact, and Public Engagement teams and commercialisation through our Innovation Factory.
Getting Started
To help you incorporate RRI into your own research practice, the information below shows how to use the UK Research and Innovation AREA approach. This approach will help you recognise the RRI work you may already be doing.
We also have links to support and resources here at the University and to further external information and resources, as well as case studies of RRI work already underway at the University.