CBS gets new guidelines for good research communication in the wake of professor’s defense of Danske Bank
(Photo: Mette Koors)
CBS professor Steen Thomsen publicly defended Danske Bank without making it clear that the very same bank funded his own research center. This has resulted in consequential action taken by CBS. The guidelines on good research communication will be renewed to ensure improved transparency on research funding, and the coming Vice Dean of Research Communication will be given an extended mandate.
News | 08. Nov 2018
At a recent meeting, the Academic Council at CBS discussed researchers’ participation in public debate. The discussion has come in the wake of criticism raised by other researchers in the media, in light of CBS Professor Steen Thomsen’s defense of Danske Bank in the newspaper Børsen. (See fact box.)
The discussion has now resulted in a request to include an explicit requirement for transparency in the guidelines for good research communication practice at CBS.
This means that all faculties have to make information about external funding of their research and any external employment available on cbs.dk. This will be further discussed with the General Consultation Committee on December 10, according to a statement from senior management at CBS.dk.
“We can see that a lot of researchers have already met the need for greater transparency in terms of funding and interests. However, we would like to implement this all along the line,” says Søren Hvidkjær, the Dean of Research at CBS and continues:
“In the coming months, we are going to work closely together with the Academic Council and the heads of department to develop a good and practical model. This initiative is to ensure that CBS can have close relationships with the business community, foundations and public organizations in the future, and that the researchers’ interests are not questioned.”
More work for the new Vice Dean of Research Communication
The renewed guidelines are supported by the appointment of a new Vice Dean of Research Communication, who will be given an extended mandate. This implies that CBS will continuously update the guidelines on good research communication, and draw inspiration from the work of Universities Denmark on the basis of the current national code of conduct for academic integrity.
”Our faculty must take active part in the public debate. CBS’ researchers are already doing that extensively, and we would like this involvement in society to continue – preferably even more. The aim of these recommendations and guidelines is to support our researchers as well as a nuanced public debate based on research,” says Søren Hvidkjær.
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