10th Feb 2021
The principles were developed as part of the 6th World Conference on Research Integrity (held in Hong Kong in 2019), and were created to reinforce the need to reward researchers for specific positive behaviours that promote trustworthy research, such as reproducibility and full reporting of data. 
Many factors in the professional environment of scientists threaten the credibility of research. Our Credibility in Neuroscience campaign highlights that the incentive structure within research needs to be directed more towards rewarding researchers that go to efforts to make their work as credible as possible.
The HKPs, which complement the BNA's existing commitment to DORA, offer a new approach that insitutions and organisations should take within the broader research environment to better incentivise credible initiatives.
The five principles are:
BNA Chief Executive, Dr Anne Cooke commented: “In endorsing the Hong Kong Principles for assessing researchers, we're highlighting our support for recognising and rewarding efforts of researchers to make neuroscience research as credible as possible.
"If we are to create an exciting and sustainable future for 21st century neuroscience, we must transform the rewards for neuroscientists so that they are aligned with rewarding the best neuroscience. Changing the landscape in which neuroscientists operate is vital to ensure the influences which drive research also drive the most credible research."
Find out more about the Hong Kong Principles and how the BNA and others are putting these into practice.
Find out more about the BNA's Credibility in Neuroscience campaign.
