CBS initiates investigation of report on Danish agriculture

A comprehensive critique of the “agriculture report” leads CBS to initiate a thorough investigation of the report and the process leading to its creation. This was decided at a meeting on December 12, 2016 between CBS’ senior management and Academic Council, representing the research environment at CBS.

12/12/2016

CBS now initiates an investigation of the controversial agricultural report. The investigation will be carried out by CBS Research Practice Committee to establish if good scientific practice has been followed.

"The decision was taken Monday 12 December, 2016, at a meeting of Academic Council where both CBS’ senior management and the research environment are represented. The investigation is initiated immediately:The media coverage has raised a series of relevant questions regarding the process leading to the agricultural report and whether good scientific practice has been observed. The senior management and Academic Council therefore ask CBS’ Research Practice Committee to initiate an investigation of the report immediately," says President Per Holten-Andersen.

Academic Council has focused on the following points in its arguments for having the present report investigated:

  • The selection of data and results may have been biased
  • There are indications of a general conflict of interest, including in relation to whether the granting organization has authored parts of the report
  • The source of financing or the granting organization may not have been stated correctly
  • Contributors that have contributed substantially may have been omitted from the list of authors
  • The referencing of sources may be incomplete

Academic Council is established according to the University Act. At CBS it consists of thirteen members of the academic environment in addition to CBS’ senior management. The President (Rektor) is elected chairman of Academic Council. The role of the Council is i.a. to coordinate collaboration between CBS’ management and the research environments.

One of Academic Council’s functions is to “make comments to the President in issues regarding freedom in research, research integrity, ethics of science and academic practice”. The Council has used this possibility on Monday 12 December 2016:

"This case is particularly damaging to CBS’ reputation and we cannot live with the suspicion that it raises regarding CBS as a research institution and the quality of research activities of more than 670 researchers. We therefore look forward to having the report assessed," says deputy chairman of Academic Council, Professor Keld Laursen.

CBS Research Practice Committee starts dealing with the complaint as soon as it receives an official complaint. The Committee will be requested to work as fast as possible. CBS expects that the Committee has completed its assessment during spring 2017.

For further information, contact President Per Holten-Andersen (via Head of Office Martin Kramer-Jørgensen, email: mj@.is@cbs.dk, phone 39152062) or Deputy Chairman of Academic Council, Professor Keld Laursen (email: kl.ino@cbs.dk, phone 38152565). You may also use our Media Contact.

The page was last edited by: Sekretariat for Ledelse og Kommunikation // 09/02/2020