The Centre has been active and productive since its very inception. It gives orientations and trainings for the capacity building and enhancement of Research for both the teachers and the students.
Research ethics intersect with the ethical principles of social responsibility. As research involves a broad framework of engagement with people, researchers are tasked with not only establishing trust with participants to obtain reliable data but also ensuring the transparency and ethical conduct of the research process. Minhaj University Lahore (MUL) recognizes the importance of cultivating ethical awareness among its faculty and student body and emphasizes that all activities are guided by forward-thinking principles of equity and opportunity. Any research that involves human subjects, conducted by university personnel or students, is subject to ethical scrutiny and approval. This applies to all levels of study, whether funded or unfunded, and includes the use of simple questionnaires as well as complex research conducted in educational, healthcare, and socioeconomic contexts. In addition, we are committed to complying with any stipulations specified by research funders. As a responsible institution, we are committed to upholding the highest ethical standards in research and grant proposals. We strive to foster a culture of honesty, rigor, clarity, and respect.
To instill self-confidence in research and funding proposals, it is crucial to adhere to fundamental principles of research integrity. The policy recognizes and advocates for the application of the following ethical values.
1. Researchers are expected to abstain from practices such as plagiarism, piracy, or falsification of results, and any instances of such misconduct will be met with severe consequences. In addition to complying with the policy established by Minhaj University Lahore (MUL), researchers must also adhere to the acceptable standards set by the Higher Education Commission (HEC).
2. Faculty members and students are held to a high standard of excellence and ethical conduct when conducting research. They are expected to fulfill their commitments and agreements, demonstrate honesty, and strive for the advancement of ideas and actions.
3. Principal investigators and other research supervisors are responsible for taking all reasonable measures to ensure compliance with sponsor, institutional, legal, ethical, and moral obligations in managing research projects.
4. Research activities should comply with applicable national and international laws and standards.
5. Researchers must be familiar with the protocols and norms for conducting collaborative research with partners. This includes adhering to any contractual obligations, seeking guidance and support when necessary, and promptly reporting any concerns or irregularities that may arise.
6. Researchers are accountable for their actions in conducting research and for their interactions with other co-researchers on the team.
7. Minhaj University Lahore (MUL) expects all individuals listed as authors on a paper to take personal responsibility for ensuring that they are familiar with the substantive content of the paper.
8. The practice of bestowing honorary authorship should be avoided.
9. Contributions from formal collaborators and all other sources that directly or indirectly support the research must be appropriately acknowledged.
10. Researchers are expected to protect the confidentiality of participants` identities and data throughout the research project. Any data collected from identifiable individuals must be anonymized.
11. Researchers have a duty to ensure that their research does not cause emotional harm to any individual or group in society.
12. It is the primary responsibility of the researcher to ensure that appropriate measures are taken to maintain the integrity and security of research data.
13. Researchers must take precautionary measures to protect participants from any physical or psychological harm during the research process.
14. In cases where the research area is confidential or sensitive, written informed consent must be obtained from all participants before the research is conducted.
15. Researchers may offer incentives to encourage participation in research projects, provided that the incentives are not coercive and do not compromise the integrity of the research.
16. Researchers have an obligation to disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest related to their research to the Head of the Department/Dean of the Faculty.
17. The researcher is responsible for protecting intellectual property rights.
18. Researchers should consider any potential risks associated with their research outcomes that could result in harm.
19. Researchers should be open to sharing data, ideas, tools, and resources, and be receptive to constructive feedback and the development of innovative ideas.
20. Researchers should guide and support their colleagues without any biases based on gender, and should actively avoid gender discrimination.