Australia’s 2018 Research Conduct Code Faces a National Integrity Review in 2026

The Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research, 2018 is jointly issued by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), the Australian Research Council (ARC) and Universities Australia. NHMRC describes it as a principles-based document that articulates the broad principles and responsibilities that underpin the conduct of Australian research. It has been the reference point for institutional research integrity policies since 2018.

The Code sets out eight principles of responsible research, labelled P1 to P8, and 29 responsibilities. Responsibilities R1 to R13 fall on institutions and R14 to R29 on researchers. Summaries of the principles list honesty, rigour, transparency, fairness, respect, recognition of the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, accountability, and promotion of responsible research practices.

The Code is supported by guides. The most important for institutions is the Guide to Managing and Investigating Potential Breaches of the Code, usually called the Investigation Guide, which NHMRC says assists institutions to manage, investigate and resolve complaints about potential breaches of the Code.

Australia does not have a statutory research integrity regulator. Responsibility for investigating potential breaches sits with the institution where the research took place. The Australian Research Integrity Committee (ARIC), a joint ARC and NHMRC body, reviews the institutional processes used to manage and investigate potential breaches; it does not reinvestigate the substance of allegations.

Funding links give the Code practical force. When the 2018 Code was released, institutions were told that it would be complemented by revisions to NHMRC and ARC research integrity and misconduct policies, funding agreements and the ARIC framework. The ARC has since published a Research Integrity and Other Misconduct Policy, with a version numbered 2026.1 available on its website; institutions holding ARC or NHMRC grants should check the current policy text and funding agreement conditions directly.

The Code sits alongside the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research, which governs ethics review. Changes to the National Statement are separate from the Code and are not covered in this brief.

On 23 February 2026 the chief executives of the ARC and NHMRC issued a joint statement saying they are working with Universities Australia to understand how the research integrity system operates and where it can be strengthened. Reported aims include building stronger national evidence and clarifying institutional responsibilities under the Code. The agencies have pointed to a shortage of consistent, sector-wide data on research integrity, and the work will gather and analyse existing data with the sector. The relationship between integrity and funding is also reported to be under consideration.

The review follows sustained calls for change. The Australian Academy of Science has argued that the Code is outdated and has sought a role in the review, and leading scientists have again called for a national body to manage and investigate research misconduct. A 2026 article in the Internal Medicine Journal also discusses options for strengthening the system.

At the time of checking, no public consultation paper, timetable, revised Code or decision on a national integrity body had been published. The 2018 Code therefore remains the operative standard, and institutions continued to cite it in policies adopted in 2025 and 2026.

The continued use of the 2018 Code is visible in institutional documents. The Telethon Kids Institute’s responsible conduct of research policy, effective March 2025, is based on the 2018 Code, and the Australian National University’s human research ethics committee terms of reference, version 3.0 dated February 2026, still refer to it. Institutions revising policies before the review concludes should continue to align them with the 2018 Code and the Investigation Guide, which NHMRC, the ARC and Universities Australia published alongside it.

Institutions should continue to apply the 2018 Code and the Investigation Guide, while preparing for possible changes. Because the review is focused on evidence and data, research offices may be asked to provide information about the number and handling of complaints, and it is sensible to make sure such records are consistent and complete.

Researchers, including those writing for sponsors or collaborating with Australian universities, remain bound by the researcher responsibilities R14 to R29. International partners should expect Australian institutions to apply their Code-based policies if a concern arises in a collaborative project. This brief summarises public information only and is not affiliated with any of the issuing bodies.