Advisory opinions

This is a list of short summaries of advisory opinions. The list also includes decisions. In these cases, LOWI has declared the petition inadmissible. It has therefore not examined the substance of the petition and has not issued an advisory opinion.
By placing keywords in the search bar (click on the magnifying glass in the top right corner) you can search specifically within the advice.
The full text of the advisory opinion is only available in Dutch. If you want to read the full text in English, you can use the Dutch text for translation purposes.

  • Advisory opinion 2022-07
    Scientist is removed from project after Twitter message and complains about it. The LOWI sees insufficient leads to test this behavior against the code of conduct. The fact that the Petitioner was expelled from the project falls outside the scope of the code of conduct and there is a labor dispute.
  • Decision 2022-06
    LOWI will not (further) consider the petition due to the petitioner's violation of the duty of confidentiality. Besides: acting as a scientific advisor in itself can be scientific practice to which the code of conduct applies, but in this case it’s not.
  • Decision 2022-05
    From a research integrity perspective, there is in principle no obligation for scientists to actually publish research that they have conducted.
  • Advisory opinion 2022-03 and 04
    The shortcomings in this case cannot be regarded as accidental errors. However, wilful misconduct has been ruled out and therefore there is no violation of research integrity. The actions of the scientists were careless, and in one specific case reproachable. Furthermore LOWI notices that complaints procedures are legalizing and considers this not a positive development.
  • Advisory opinion 2022-02
    See brief summary of Advisory opinion 2022-01
  • Advisory opinion 2022-01
    Code of conduct applies to opinion in a renowned national newspaper that has contributed to the scientific debate about the costs of migration. Popular scientific statement. In the opinion scientific arguments have been used and scientific functions of the author have been mentioned.
  • Advisory opinion 2021-22
    The biography in this case was a popular scientific publication. The requirements for source material usage are therefore less strict. When revising the biography, the scientist involved paid sufficient attention to source material that was not known at the time of the first edition but was known at the time of the second edition.
  • Advisory opinion 2021-21
    The press release was insufficiently clear about the method and scope of the research. Because the release was issued before publication of the research, the general public could not verify its content. To that extent petitioner did not comply with Standard 53. In the opinion of LOWI, this qualifies as questionable behaviour (considerations 15,17,19).
  • Advisory opinion 2021-20
    An individual combines employment at a consultancy firm with part-time professorship. Is the code of conduct applicable? LOWI weighs all relevant facts and circumstances to assess whether there is a scientific practice to which the code of conduct applies. The extent to which the individual has manifested himself as a scientist is also considered.
  • Decision 2021-19
    Pursuant to the 2018 LOWI Regulations, only Complainants, Defendants or persons who have wrongly not been designated as such can submit an admissible petition to the LOWI (cf. 2020-12). The LOWI considers it correct that the Petitioners have not been classified as Complainants and sees no other option than to declare the petition inadmissible.