University of Massachusetts Lowell
IN-3: Academy-Industry Connections

Institution has published policies or guidelines governing industry-sponsored research that preserve academic freedom, autonomy and integrity, and manage potential conflicts of interest. The policies or guidelines:

• Require that all significant consulting contracts (e.g. those worth $5,000 or more a year) be reported to a standing committee charged with reviewing and managing individual and institutional conflicts of interest;

• Prohibit faculty, students, postdoctoral fellows, medical residents, and other academic professionals from engaging in industry-led “ghostwriting” or “ghost authorship”;

• Prohibit participation in sponsored research that restricts investigator access to the complete study data or that limits investigators’ ability to verify the accuracy and validity of final reported results; and

• Ban confidential corporate research (i.e. research that cannot be published).

For more information, see Recommended Principles to Guide Academy-Industry Relationships (AAUP).

This credit is optional and may be earned by any institution.

Institutions earn 0.5 Innovation & Leadership (IN) points for this credit up to a maximum of 4 points for the IN category. An institution’s overall, percentage-based STARS score is increased by the number of IN points it earns. 

Report on current policies or guidelines at the time of submission.