News

To all faculty and staff members,

Misconduct Related to the Handling of Research Funds by a Faculty Member of the University

Aiji Tanaka, President
Shinji Wakao, Vice President for Research

We would like to express our sincere gratitude for your continued cooperation in our research activities.

Regarding the subject matter, we would like to announce that we have disclosed the results of the investigation on our website following the discovery of misconduct by our faculty member regarding the handling of research funds.

The content of the misconduct was that our faculty member, who is the administrative manager, made a fictitious claim (fraudulent remuneration) to the University for the work of a temporary worker (a graduate student) funded by Grants‐in‐Aid for Scientific Research (KAKENHI), and subsequently collected in cash the remuneration paid to the temporary worker from the University (return of research funds).

Currently, there are many cases in which a faculty member becomes an administrative manager and employs a student to whom they provide research guidance as a research assistant. Of course, it is not permissible for a faculty member to use their superior status to instruct the employed students to make fictitious claims or return research funds. Especially because government-sponsored competitive research/educational funding involves taxpayer’s money, the liability and penalty are even more serious.

The University has been developing a management system for research funds, including thorough education on research ethics, the establishment of various systems in view of preventing fraud, and the review of the acceptance inspection system. However, unfortunately this misconduct has been discovered, and we take the severity of the situation seriously.

We ask all faculty and staff members to review the rules of employment management and research funds, and continue to carry out appropriate administrative management and research funding expenditures.

Observing the rules protects not only the students, but also the faculty and staff members themselves.

In addition, please make sure to take the research ethics education courses designated by the University, and use and manage research funds appropriately.

If research funds-related misconduct is discovered, the faculty and staff member who committed the misconduct will be subject to severe penalties. Furthermore, not only the faculty and staff member concerned, but also the credibility of the research institution will be greatly undermined.

We ask for your continued understanding and cooperation in creating an environment that does not result in or cause misconduct.

Thank you.

Reference: Academic Research Ethics Guide and Research Ethics Education

• Academic Research Ethics Guide (Leaflet)

https://www.waseda.jp/inst/ore/assets/uploads/2022/03/researchethicsguide2022_e.pdf

• Seminar on Academic Research Ethics (Seminar within the Faculty Self-management Seminar)

https://www.waseda.jp/inst/ore/en/subject/seminar/

• Research Ethics Education Courses for Researchers

https://www.waseda.jp/inst/ore/en/subject/researchers/

December 2, 2022
Waseda University