Research misconduct investigation

A report of research misconduct was received by the university in November 2025. After an internal investigation, Vice-Chancellor Mats Tinnsten has decided that the case is of such a nature that it should be investigated by the Swedish National Board for Assessment of Research Misconduct. The researcher is not suspected of cheating or plagiarism but may have enabled the publication of fabricated research.

“We take research ethics extremely seriously. It is a matter of trust, which is precisely why we are acting. The peer review system is the most important quality assurance system we have in our sector. Trying to get around it is extremely serious,” said Anna Cregård, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and the senior administrator involved in this matter.

She continued, “The university takes action when there are suspicions of breaches of good scientific practice. We have our own procedures and we follow them. This involves reviewing, acting, and, where necessary, escalating the case to the national level. We should not investigate suspected research misconduct of the kind now reported. This is why we will now refer the case to the National Board for Assessment of Research as that is the Swedish national body responsible for assessing cases of fabrication, plagiarism, or cheating.”

Earlier this year, the researcher was investigated internally for breaches of good scientific practice when five scientific articles linked to the researcher were retracted. The publisher Taylor & Francis is also currently investigating the publication of falsified articles, the researcher's claim of authorship of other articles, and the researcher's refusal to comply with the publisher's request to retract certain articles.

The researcher in question has chosen to end their employment at the university at their own request and will formally leave on 28 February 2026.