Terms of Reference
Our Terms of Reference outline how we work with individuals, institutions and external stakeholdersVision
For the UK to lead the world in conducting and promoting rigorous research.
Purpose
The UK Reproducibility Network (UKRN) is a peer-led consortium that aims to ensure the UK retains its place as a centre for world-leading research, by investigating the factors that contribute to robust research, promoting training activities and disseminating best practice, and working with external stakeholders – organisations that are part of the wider research ecosystem – to ensure coordination of efforts across the sector. UKRN’s activities span multiple levels, including researchers, institutions and other external stakeholders (e.g. funders and publishers).
UKRN originated from activity across the UK seeking to understand the factors that contribute to poor research reproducibility and replicability, and to develop approaches to counter these and improve the quality of the research we produce. These issues affect all disciplines, so UKRN aims for broad disciplinary representation. UKRN’s position is that ongoing efforts to address these issues represent an opportunity to improve our research by reforming culture and practice. Our primary aim is to support the coordination and integration of relevant activity between Local Networks, Institutions and External Stakeholders.
Organisation and membership
UKRN consists of a Steering Group, Local Networks (led by Local Network Leads), Institutions (represented by Institutional Leads) and a Stakeholder Engagement Group (comprising full and affiliate external stakeholders). The Steering Group is advised by an external Advisory Board comprising senior academics from the international research community. A schematic of the structure of UKRN is shown here, and is intended to reflect the mutually supporting elements of the Network.
The Steering Group, which currently comprises Marcus Munafò, Chris Chambers, Alexandra Collins, Laura Fortunato, Nicole Janz and Malcolm Macleod, is responsible for the overall coordination of UKRN activity and strategy. It is supported by a part-time administrator. The Steering Group reports to the Local Network Leads and Institutional Leads, and to the Stakeholder Engagement Group, by means of an annual report (in July) and meeting (in March). The current Steering Group will continue until March 2022; the membership of the Steering Group and a process for appointing new members will be developed from March 2021.
UKRN structure, with Local Network Leads (coordinating local network activity), Institutional Leads (working in partnership with Local Network Leads), Steering Group, Stakeholder Engagement Group and Advisory Board.