Disclosure of interests and management of conflicts of interest
A conflict of interest in research exists where an individual may preference, or be perceived to preference, their own interests or obligations over their duties and responsibilities as a researcher. Conflicts of interest may be actual, potential or perceived and involve financial and non-financial benefits. Conflicts of interest may affect, or be perceived to affect, a researcher's impartiality and judgement, which can erode confidence in the research.
UQ researchers will act in accordance with the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research (2018) and the University’s Responsible Research Management Framework Policy, which include the following responsibilities related to disclosure of interests:
Disclose and manage actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interest
There are a broad range of research-related activities that may give rise to a conflict of interest. All researchers should expect to have a conflict of interest from time to time. For example, researchers may be asked to peer-review a colleague's work or provide consultancy for a company that also funds their research. The mere existence of a conflict does not imply wrongdoing and in some cases is unavoidable.
The responsibility to identify, manage and declare circumstances and associations that may give rise to a conflict of interest rests with the individual researcher. The University’s Conflict of Interest for Members of Staff Procedure require staff to acknowledge, declare and monitor conflicts of interest. Researchers must also declare relevant conflicts of interest in research outputs, in submissions to research ethics committees and as required by outside organisations, such as in applications for funding or when undertaking peer review.