Responsibility to Community and Place

Persistent inequalities of power, resources and knowledge within and beyond universities can shape whose questions can be asked, how resources are allocated and hinder meaningful research participation and innovation. Balancing global research benefits with local needs requires ethical approaches, care and genuine community engagement.

Responsible Research Culture Framework

Download Monash’s Responsible Research Culture Framework here

What does a culture of responsible governance look like?

VALUES AND PRINCIPLES

  • Care for people, animals, and the built and natural environment.
  • Reciprocity and engagement in and through research.

EXPECTATIONS

  • Members of the Monash research community should Anticipate potential harms; Reflect on the underlying assumptions informing research; Engage with stakeholders and partners throughout the project lifecycle; and Act in response to wider views and needs (‘AREA’ framework popularised by the UK’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council).
  • Researchers have a responsibility to understand the ‘macro’ and local contexts in which they are working, including environmental impacts.

FORMAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND SYSTEMS

  • Compliance with all relevant laws, policies and codes of ethics and integrity in the contexts in which we operate, including but not limited to the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research, the AIATSIS Code of Ethics for Indigenous Research and the Australian Code for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes.
  • Defence Export Controls and Sanctions Compliance, and due diligence around foreign interference.

BEHAVIOURS

  • Respectfully consider and discuss the implications of research questions, methods and outcomes from a range of perspectives and needs in internal and external collaborations. This may include seeking different social, cultural, economic, political and environmental perspectives.
  • Actively seek to build cultural capabilities and understanding as part of professional development.
  • Supervisors and team leaders support the career development and aspirations of their Graduate Research students and teams.

CREATING MEANING

  • Monash is a global university anchored in communities, place and environmental responsibility.
  • We celebrate reciprocity and generosity in research and leadership.

Useful questions

  • What are the potential medium- and long-term implications of your research beyond your discipline?
  • How are these implications being addressed in your project design, methods and communication plan?
  • How could you welcome community, industry and / or government engagement throughout the research lifecycle? What benefits will it create?
  • Is your research aligned with the expectations of your partners and stakeholders? If not, why not, and how are these differences in expectation being managed?
  • As applicable, are considerations of social and environmental justice embedded in your research?
  • How have you sought to reduce waste and travel in your research?