The European Conference on Ethics and Integrity in Academia 2025 (ECEIA) took place in Uppsala, Sweden, from 16 to 19 June 2025. The event was organised by the Centre for Research Ethics and Bioethics at Uppsala University in collaboration with the European Network for Academic Integrity (ENAI) and was attended by Elza Vecpuise, a representative of the Latvian Data Stewards Network.
The main topics of the conference were relevant to the contemporary academic environment: the ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI) in education and research, publication ethics, research security and the industrialisation of abusive behaviour (e.g., essay and publication factories). Issues of policy development, as well as equality and diversity in academia, were discussed.
The conference provided valuable insights on the responsible implementation of AI in research and data management, highlighting the need to develop clear guidelines and policies on integrating the ethical use of AI into educational and research practices to ensure responsible and transparent use of AI tools.
The critical role of metadata in ensuring the trustworthiness and integrity of academic information was also highlighted. Metadata, including persistent identifiers (DOIs) for various research outputs, such as datasets and publications, serve as “trust signals”.
In addition to individual actions, the conference examined the broader impact of unethical research practices on society. This includes harm to vulnerable groups and reduced public trust, which often results from flawed research design or misuse/manipulation of research data. Discussions highlighted the need for policies that take into account the negative consequences of research and promote transparency in reporting violations, ensuring that research data serves society in an ethical manner.
ECEIA 2025 reaffirmed the shared commitment to promoting academic integrity and ethical conduct in education and research. The research environment is becoming increasingly complex and data-driven, and the role of data stewards in ensuring ethical standards is more important than ever. This year’s conference reminded us that upholding academic integrity is a shared commitment to responsible science, contributing to a more trustworthy and transparent global research environment.
