Responsible Governance

Responsible governance supports research ethics, integrity and accountability. It fosters confidence in partnerships, enhances engagement, and strengthens outcomes. Inclusive and transparent governance processes also enhance trust in research.

Responsible Research Culture Framework

Download Monash’s Responsible Research Culture Framework here

What does a culture of responsible governance look like?

VALUES AND PRINCIPLES:

  • Integrity and rigour in support of robust results.
  • Fairness, care and respect in the treatment of others.
  • Honesty, clarity, transparency and accountability in governance processes and protocols.

EXPECTATIONS:

  • Researchers, professional and technical staff to conduct research ethically, safely and legally.
  • Researchers undertake and remain up to date with ethics and integrity training.
  • Researchers exercise financial responsibility in managing project budgets, including in their allocation of spending and remaining within their full budget envelope.
  • Regular governance ‘health checks’ are done to improve governance processes.

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.
  • Undertake risk assessments and implement risk management processes as part of due diligence, including around the risk of foreign interference. Please refer to the University’s Group Risk Management and Compliance Policy suite.
  • Compliance to all financial policies of the university and funding body.

BEHAVIOURS:

  • Clear communication, in person and in writing, around research governance.
  • Where relevant for the project or program, engage with partners, consumers and stakeholders in research governance processes, such as in advisory or governance group membership, or regular governance ‘health checks’ that promote reflexive practices.
  • Sharing best practice in respectful and responsible research governance.

CREATING MEANING:

  • Responsible governance is understood as valuable and necessary for research excellence and impact.
  • Responsible models of governance are shared and celebrated.

Useful questions:

  • Have you checked the regulatory frameworks relevant to your project?
  • Is it appropriate to have a project governance board, and does that board reflect the needs of the project as well as the partners, individuals or communities affected by the project?
  • Are you practising responsible financial management, including through accurate costing and pricing, the transparent and responsible allocation of funds according to budget, and regular project budget checks?
  • If including members from outside the university, have you considered how / if they will be recompensed for their time and contributions?
  • Have you completed required due diligence, risk assessment and ethics processes as outlined in university policies and procedures?
  • Are you practising regular health checks for your governance processes?
  • Would it be beneficial if stakeholder assessment was part of your governance health checks?