9th World Conference on Research Integrity
The WCRI is open to all disciplines, all professional ranks, and all career stages, and involves all stakeholders in research integrity, including universities, research institutes, research funders, publishers, and governments. We aim to ensure the program will interest academics, practitioners and policy makers. The conference is lively and interactive, and the program consists of a mix of research findings, reflection and policy development. Previous WCRI conferences typically produce an influential policy statement such as the Singapore Statement, the Hong Kong Principles and the Cape Town Statement. The intention with WCRI 2026 is to do likewise.
WCRIs take a strong view on ethnic, gender, geographical, disciplinary and career stage diversity, and ensure that this is reflected in the program, the keynote speakers, the committee members, and the participants. We give special attention to early career professionals, and we organise a doctoral forum, workshops, and meet-the-expert sessions for them during the conference.
Each WCRI emphasizes specific themes, but all cater to the entire range of research integrity issues and responsible research practices. The Vancouver edition will highlight the following three themes.
Artificial intelligence
The first theme are the risks and benefits of artificial intelligence (AI) for research integrity. In academia and among practitioners, AI is recognized as a powerful tool that can improve the quality and integrity of research and be a helpful tool to detect research misconduct. Risks of AI are that it makes fraudulent and fake research much easier, and that inappropriate use can lead to fatally biased or ethically unacceptable research.
Research Security
The second theme concerns the tension between research security and research integrity where there is a need to balance the protection of sensitive, or proprietary, information with the principles of openness and transparency in scientific research. The tension arises because stringent security measures can conflict with the open sharing of information that is fundamental to scientific progress. For example, restrictions on international collaborations or the sharing of research data can hinder scientific advancements and the free exchange of ideas. Conversely, a lack of security measures can lead to, for example, theft of sensitive information or undue foreign influence.
Indigenous Knowledge Systems
The third theme will be the relation between Indigenous perspectives and research integrity. This entails meaningfully engaging with Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing, embarking on new ethical journeys, and exploring what this means for our understanding of research integrity. This theme will be highly relevant to practitioners, academics, and policy makers.
