The VERITY team recently made a significant impact at the World Conference on Research Integrity (WCRI) 2024, held from the 2nd to the 5th of June 2024 in Athens, Greece. The conference, which gathered around 800 participants, featured a diverse array of presentations, discussions and networking opportunities centered on the crucial theme of research integrity. VERITY main goal for enhancing trust in science found a best fit and the topics presented by the project team were welcomed by the attendees.
Key Highlights from the Conference
Symposium Presentation
On June 3, Dr. Agata Gurzawska from TRI IE presented a thought-provoking talk titled “Re-defining the ecosystem of trust in science: the role of stewards of trust in changing research environments – findings from the VERITY project.” Her presentation, which can be viewed in detail here, emphasized the critical role that stewards of trust play in maintaining and enhancing public trust in scientific research amidst evolving research landscapes.
Collaborative Symposium with Sister Projects
The symposium also featured collaborative efforts with our sister projects, IANUS and POIESIS. Together, we addressed the complex relationship between research integrity and public trust in academic research. The symposium provided a platform for reflecting on how research integrity, open science, and science communication influence public trust and explored implications for policy and innovation. This interactive session enriched our understanding of diverse perspectives, particularly from non-European and policy contexts.
Poster sessions
Importance of Research Integrity
Research integrity is commonly assumed to be a key facilitator of increased trust in research. However, the specific mechanisms through which it contributes to public trust and how breaches of research integrity principles affect public perception remain unclear. Our symposium synergized the efforts of three European projects – VERITY, IANUS, and POIESIS – to dive into these questions.
Speakers reflected on how research integrity, open science and science communication impact public trust, discussing the implications for trustworthy policy and innovation. The interactive audience discussion invited perspectives from various contexts, enriching the dialogue on this complicated issue.
Next steps for VERITY – Recommendations for Stewards of Trust
- Co-creation Workshops: Scheduled for Autumn 2024, these workshops will involve stakeholders in developing guidelines and best practices for Stewards of Trust;
- Scenario-building Workshop for Validation: Set for Spring 2025, this workshop will validate our findings and ensure they are robust and applicable across various contexts;
- Social Media Experiment: Planned for Winter 2025, this experiment will test and refine the recommendations from the Stewards of Trust through interactive engagement on social media platforms.
Stay Connected!
The event concluded on Wednesday, June 5 with honors for outstanding presentations and the announcement of the next WCRI venue in 2026: Vancouver, Canada.
We invite you to stay connected with the VERITY project as we continue our journey to enhance trust in scientific research. Follow us on Social Media through the right corner buttons on your screen!
