Responsible and open research

UCLouvain pursues a policy of responsible research, with a commitment to respecting human rights, academic freedom, the principles of research ethics and integrity, the environment, and the safety and health of individuals.

Within this framework, UCLouvain has adopted a position of principle on:

• academic freedom, notably through its endorsement of the Magna Charta Universitatum;
• integrity and ethics, notably through its endorsement of the European Code of Conduct and the establishment of ethics committees; 
• research projects with military implications, notably through the adoption of the Guidelines for researchers on dual use and misuse of research and the adaptation of its procedures; 
• responsible international travel, through the development of its Charter for Responsible International Mobility and recommendations concerning high-risk destinations; 
• responsible partnerships, through the development of a dedicated charter. 

UCLouvain is also committed to being internationally engaged and strongly encourages knowledge sharing. For nearly ten years, it has been actively involved in various aspects of open science, which seeks to make research, research data and the dissemination of scientific knowledge accessible at every level of a society eager to learn.

It is within this commitment to both responsible and open research that UCLouvain is also seeking to promote a more qualitative and equitable approach to research assessment. Since 10 October 2023, UCLouvain has been a member of the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA) and a signatory to the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment. By signing the agreement, UCLouvain committed to publishing an action plan setting out the measures it will take to fulfil its ten commitments.