In line with the requirements of the Concordat to Support Research Integrity, UKCEH publishes an annual statement on research integrity. This statement also includes anonymised information about how allegations of misconduct in research, if any, have been assessed and investigated.
The UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) is an independent, not-for-profit research institute dedicated to creating a sustainable future through environmental science. As outlined in our Strategy 2030, we aim to deliver excellent, impactful, and collaborative research that addresses urgent global environmental challenges. We are committed to creating a supportive and inclusive research culture, and to recognising and rewarding the full range of contributions that researchers make to science and society. Central to this is ensuring our research assessment practices are fair, transparent, and aligned with the values of integrity, openness, and equity.
The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) is a global initiative that promotes improved practices in the evaluation of scholarly research. DORA advocates for the assessment of research on its own merits, rather than on the basis of the journal in which the research is published.
UKCEH became a signatory to DORA in 2021. Our endorsement of DORA aligns with our institutional goals of valuing diverse research outputs and recognising a broad range of contributions, from high-quality interdisciplinary publications to engagement with policymakers and the public. Adopting DORA principles supports our commitment to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion within our research culture.
As part of our implementation of DORA, UKCEH is reviewing internal processes for researcher assessment and career progression to ensure alignment with responsible metrics and qualitative evaluation practices. This includes considering a broader set of indicators of research excellence, such as data and software outputs, policy engagement, and societal impact, as well as contributions to team science and open science practices. These efforts will build on existing commitments set out in our Strategy 2030.
The implementation of DORA at UKCEH is overseen by our Science Director, Dr Douglas Wilson OBE. Questions and enquiries can be directed to the Science Directorate Business Manager, Anita Petrie, anit@ceh.ac.uk.