Academic, Scientific and Professional Ethics
University Ethics Committee promotes the values of integrity, responsibility, and respect within the academic community. It ensures the application of ethical principles in education, research, and university management activities and provides the framework necessary for preventing and addressing breaches of ethical conduct.
University Ethics Committee
Composition
It is composed of academic staff and researchers with recognized professional and moral standing, appointed by the University Senate for a defined term.
Independence
It is independent of any management structure and operates according to its own regulations, approved by the University Senate.
Role
Its role is to ensure compliance with the university code of ethics and professional conduct and to address reports concerning possible violations.
Monitoring
It promotes prevention and ethical awareness, monitors compliance with ethical standards, prepares the annual public report, and keeps minutes of internal meetings.
The CEU operates independently of any other administrative or organizational structure within POLITEHNICA Bucharest, with autonomy in decision-making and in carrying out its specific activities (according to Art. 5 of the CEU Rules of Organization and Operation). The Committee drafts its own rules of organization and operation, as well as its internal working procedures, which are approved by decision of the University Senate.
In exercising its responsibilities, the CEU ensures compliance with the Code of University Ethics and Professional Conduct, the implementation of orders issued by the Ministry of Education regarding ethical standards, and the resolution of identified violations, whether following received complaints or through self-referral. The CEU also contributes to updating the Code of University Ethics and Professional Conduct by submitting proposals to the University Senate for adoption and integration into the University Charter.
The Committee also plays an active role in preventing breaches of ethical standards by organizing specific activities and monitoring the delivery of ethics and academic integrity courses. It also prepares an annual report on compliance with ethical standards, a document presented to the Rector and the University Senate and made publicly available.
The CEU meets whenever necessary, and its meetings are not public. Discussions and adopted decisions are recorded in minutes prepared by the Committee’s secretary; these documents are for internal use and are not intended for the public.
Universal Ethical Principles
Principle of Autonomy
Respect for each person’s right to decide freely based on their own beliefs and values; respect for informed consent in research.
Principle of Dignity
Mutual respect and tolerance, prohibition of slander, misinformation and denigration, transparency of information, and intellectual fairness.
Principle of Beneficence
Professional integrity, avoiding unjustified harm, and pursuing the well-being of the university community and society.
Principle of Precaution
Avoiding actions that may cause future harm, even when such harm cannot be predicted precisely.
Principle of Justice
Equitable distribution of goods and services, non-discrimination, merit-based assessment, and elimination of conflicts of interest.
Academic, Scientific and Professional Ethics at SD-AC Level
Breaches of ethical standards are handled in accordance with the POLITEHNICA Bucharest Charter and in collaboration with the ethics committees. SD-AC and IOSUD promote a culture of integrity by preventing and sanctioning misconduct. In cases of fraud, plagiarism, or violations of ethical standards, both the doctoral student and the doctoral supervisor are accountable under the law and the regulations in force. The doctoral supervisor is required to verify the thesis’s compliance with ethical standards, while the doctoral student is responsible for the originality of the work and the manner in which the results are presented. SD-AC publicly presents general aspects concerning ethics and the specific requirements for ethics and academic integrity that doctoral students must comply with.
Mandatory Principles for SD-AC Members
The principles of ethics and professional and research conduct are mandatory for all SD-AC members and govern compliance with moral principles and standards:
Ethics Committees at Institutional and National Level
POLITEHNICA Bucharest Ethics Committee
for the implementation of ethical standards at university level.
Council for Ethics and University Management (CEMU)
for promoting a culture of ethics and integrity at national level.
National Council for Ethics in Scientific Research, Technological Development and Innovation (CNECSDTI)
for standards of good conduct in research and development at national level.
