Mandate of the Competence Centre
The numerous issues and challenges facing scientific integrity have led to the establishment of the Swiss Competence Centre for Scientific Integrity (SCCSI), which opened on 1 January 2026. The Centre’s role is to ensure scientific integrity and uphold its principles across Swiss higher education institutions, providing an overview and facilitating good scientific practice.
Tasks and Responsibilities of the Competence Centre
In order to ensure quality and compliance with the principles of scientific integrity, the Centre has specific tasks to be fulfil by the Council for Scientific Integrity or the Council Office, acting with a mandate from the Higher Education Council.
Specifically, its tasks are as follows:
Receiving reports and Monitoring
to receive the reports and monitor the proceedings, sanctions and measures reported once a year from the higher education institutions and other institutions in the higher education sector (without details of the persons concerned)
Supporting and Advising Higher Education Institutions
to support the high education institutions and other institutions of the higher education sector with their investigations and other matters; to advise these institutions on the procedure to be followed in the event of suspected violations of scientific integrity and scientific misconduct;
Facilitating Contacts and Networking
to facilitate networking between institutions and national or international experts;
Referring Individuals with Questions
to refer persons who have questions about scientific integrity to the appropriate contact points at higher education institutions and other institutions in the higher education sector;
Promoting Good Scientific Practice
to promote the widespread general understanding of what constitutes good scientific practice; to support higher education institutions and other institutions in the higher education sector in establishing a culture of good scientific practice; to support evaluations of procedures relating to scientific integrity and encourage the development and dissemination of good scientific practices
Preparing the Annual Report and Information
to prepare the annual report for the Higher Education Council and information for the public
Offering training courses
to potentially offer training courses
Providing Information
to maintain the SCCSI website and to manage the information platform for the relevant departments at higher education institutions and other institutions in the higher education sector.
Counselling for individuals comprises solely the assignment of the appropriate contact point at higher education institutions or other institutions in the higher education sector; the Swiss Competence Center on Scientific Integrity shall not provide any advice on the merits of a case.
Furthermore, the Swiss Competence Centre for Scientific Integrity itself does not conduct any proceedings and is not an appeal body.