Research Partnerships, Statement on [February 1, 2007]

STATEMENT ON RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS

Research at the University of Toronto is driven by the pursuit of knowledge and academic inquiry. The University is deeply committed both to its public role as a leader in the discovery, preservation and sharing of knowledge, and to the highest standard of integrity in research.

The University has a strong tradition of partnering with other universities, the professions, the public and private sector, with transparency and public accountability.

The following statement reflects the principles that shape our research partnerships and confirms the continuing commitment of the University to foster those partnerships, within a framework defined by the University’s academic mission and its fundamental values.

1. The purpose of the University is set out in the University’s Statement of Institutional Purpose. At the heart of the University lies the commitment to academic freedom, which may not be abridged. Academic freedom is described in the University’s Statement on Freedom of Speech and in article 5 of the Memorandum of Agreement between the University of Toronto and the University of Toronto Faculty Association.
2. Academic freedom includes the freedom to pursue research and scholarship and to publish or otherwise make public the results thereof free from institutional censorship. The University values and will protect its integrity, autonomy and freedom to pursue lines of inquiry within legal boundaries, and enters into research partnerships guided by these fundamental principles. The University has established various policies that govern aspects of research partnerships.
3. A number of these policies apply to individual members of the University community. University researchers are subject to the University’s Policy on Ethical Conduct in Research, which articulates their responsibility to adhere to the highest standards of ethical conduct in every aspect of research including applications, proposals, the research itself, reports and publications. University policies and procedures address and manage both actual and perceived conflicts of interest.
4. Research funding applications and research-related agreements are subject to review by departmental and divisional heads and the office of the Vice President – Research and Associate Provost before approval to ensure compliance with all relevant policies, procedures, ethical requirements, and legislation, including those with respect to the use of human subjects, animals and biohazardous materials in research.
5. The results of University research are freely publishable in accordance with the University’s Publication Policy. To encourage the translation of knowledge into socially useful applications, the Publication Policy permits limited publication delays to the extent necessary to obtain protection of proprietary rights in research results.
6. The University’s research partnerships are matters of public record, except for information which is personal or proprietary, in accordance with applicable legislation.
7. In view of the importance it attaches to academic freedom, no policy or practice within the University limits research partnerships conducted within legal limits. If a research proposal passes the required reviews, the University does not and will not limit approved research based on its potential or actual applications.

Approved by Governing Council on February 1, 2007