Responsible research
Monash’s commitment to responsible research
Our commitment to responsible research begins by acknowledging the exceptional history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge-making in support of community wellbeing and care for Country. Monash is committed to fostering a research environment that respects and supports Indigenous leadership, peoples, cultures, and knowledge.
Monash’s Responsible Research Culture Framework aims to ensure that excellent research leads to positive outcomes for people and the planet and minimises harm.
As an active collaborator in a global research ecosystem, Monash University aims to move towards more just, ethical, and transformative research practices. Through values-aligned partnerships and approaches, we see the impact of our research reflected in scholarly, sectoral, and societal outcomes.
The Monash Research Plan as part of the University’s strategic plan, Impact 2030, identifies responsible research as an underpinning principle for achieving research excellence and positive impact.
Responsible Research Culture Framework
Download Monash’s Responsible Research Culture Framework here
Responsible research culture
What do we mean?
Culture is critical for supporting responsible research practices. Culture refers to the ideas, values, and behaviours guiding how we relate to others, how we make meaning, and how we define value. In research, culture sets the tone for the way we work, collaborate, and advance knowledge. It shapes the way we interact with others, how we define and foster excellence, and our impact on society and the planet.
A thriving responsible research culture is therefore far more than workplace culture, formal compliance or our multidisciplinary research environment. It also looks outward, across our international campus network and beyond, to connect researchers, governments, organisations and communities in responding to the shared challenges of our age.
What benefit does it have?
Responsible research culture propels excellence and innovation. By empowering people to engage actively in research contexts that support good governance, accountability, capacity building and research benefit, responsible research cultures build bridges between disciplines, sectors, peoples and nations to catalyse transformative change.
Our approach
Monash's responsible research culture is guided by the University’s values, national ethical codes, and international best practices. It centres integrity, ethics, accountability, and care for others and the planet. It supports an environment where diversity is an asset, and ideas are freely and respectfully heard and exchanged. It encourages imagination, reflexivity, and ongoing improvement, and enables creativity and innovation to flourish as a result. It seeks to empower people to reach their full potential, inspire a sense of purpose and belonging, and above all honour our purpose to improve the lives of future generations.
Our approach is bolstered by our capabilities, expertise and research excellence. At Monash, deep disciplinary knowledge and world class infrastructure are complemented by expertise in participatory research, co-design and integrative methods that recognise and value diverse forms of knowledge, including lived experience.
We know from this experience that complex partnerships and contextual uncertainties can pose challenges in research. Our Responsible Research Culture Framework aims to further consolidate our strengths while maintaining a commitment to learning, mutual understanding, reflection, and ongoing improvement.
Responsible research in action
Living labs
Bringing together researchers, industry partners and civil society to address societal challenges in place
Co-design
Recognising the unique needs and perspectives of partners, communities and stakeholders
Talent enhancement
Growing and strengthening the talent of our research community to enhance our global impact and excellence in research.
Resources and support
Our focus on responsible research is detailed in our Responsible Research Culture Framework.
Responsible governance
Supporting trust, accountability and management of responsible research.
Responsibility to community and place
Recognising Monash’s place within local communities and global research environments.
Responsible practices
Demonstrating responsible methods, approaches and behaviours in research and its assessment.
Diversity of people and thought
Advancing research and innovation through diversity of thought, expertise and experience.
Responsible publication and engagement
Sharing knowledge to facilitate learning, trust and societal benefit.
Responsible partnerships
Promoting productive connections throughout the research process.
Active learning and improvement
Committing to ongoing improvement through listening, critical reflection and development.
Responsible research culture advice
If you would like to seek informal advice from someone outside your discipline area about Responsible Research Culture at Monash University, please contact the Academic Director (Research Culture) c-rrculture@monash.edu