Developing values-driven, effective leaders and advancing institutional integrity through intentional professional development

Developing values-driven, effective leaders and advancing institutional integrity through intentional professional development

The National Center for Principled Leadership & Research Ethics (NCPRE) is dedicated to creating and supporting academic cultures of excellence: excellence in mission quality; excellence in exemplary leadership; and excellence in ethical and responsible conduct.

Our premise is that excellence is about more than what is achieved; it also encompasses how work is done: with rigor, reproducibility, inclusion, and integrity. This means that exceptional scholarship, done ethically, is done in inclusive working environments, with positive interpersonal dynamics, and in ways that develop, mentor, and support lab members to build productive, meaningful careers. Research groups and academic units do not only produce data and results: they also reproduce and sustain themselves as effective ongoing collaborations, which in turn builds and contributes to the talent pool of the wider research community.

For us, intentional leadership development, institutional integrity, and cultures of academic excellence are linked. We create tools and resources to inspire, support and evaluate them all.

In all its activities, NCPRE is committed to forming, developing, and supporting academic cultures of excellence.

• We recognize that no one seeks disaster, and few people knowingly act unethically; small choices are important in setting personal and ethical pathways.
• Institutional context, organizational culture, peer influences, and setting an example at the top all contribute to promoting an ethical professional climate—or its opposite.
• We create tools, systems, and resources to help universities and other institutions educate their members about ethics.
• We define professional and research ethics as the smart choice, not just the right choice; they promote effectiveness and productivity in the long run.
• We help institutions assess the integrity of their environments, and develop strategies for improving them.
• We develop leaders using evidence-based, practical, applied strategies that include self-reflection and ethical values.
• When things go wrong, we provide strategies for improving matters and setting a better course of action.
• We help emerging professionals to understand the importance of their ethical and professional choices, and to view themselves as responsible leaders.

The underlying values and norms that create this kind of institutional culture are set by institutional leaders and the inclusiveness they foster. Leaders recognize that responsible conduct of research does not occur in a vacuum, and that environments shape individual actions. The responsibilities of researchers and mentors is to create, maintain an environment that cultivates and supports the best and highest standards. Through initiatives like Confronting Challenges in Academic Units (CCAU) and individual leadership development, we develop leaders using evidence-based, practical, applied strategies. And when things go wrong, we provide strategies for salvage and for returning to business as usual.

To learn more about NCPRE and our programs, please visit our About page.