What are the examples of conflict of interest?

Examples of conflicts of financial interests:

• A researcher has a financial interest in the licensee (or proposed licensee) of University intellectual
• A research student receiving financial support from a company in which his/her academic supervisor has a financial interest or
• An academic uses unpublished information emanating from University research or other confidential University sources for personal profit, or to assist an outside organisation by giving it unreasonably exclusive access to such
• A member of staff taking part in the negotiation of the terms under which assets (intellectual property or other property) of the University are to be sold, licensed or transferred to an external entity in which the staff member, his/her immediate family member or person with whom he/she has a close personal relationship, has a financial interest.

 Examples of conflicts of commitment and loyalty

• A part-time member of staff who is involved in a bid application for funding also works part-time for an organization in the region that is making a bid application for the same funding.
• A staff member assumes responsibilities for an external organisation (paid or unpaid) that diverts his/her attention from his/her University duties, or creates other conflicts of loyalty.
• An academic member of staff has set up a spin-out company the core business of which is closely related to his area of research at the University. The company has engaged a number of graduate students to undertake work which may conflict with their research
• A member of staff is considering tenders submitted by audit companies. Her brother is a partner in one of the audit

Examples of conflicts of commitment and loyalty cont/…

• An academic who has a senior editorial position with a commercial journal is also on a University library committee that recommends journal
• A staff member taking part in any selection, promotion, reclassification, evaluation or grievance process with prospective or current staff members with whom they have, or have had, a close personal

Examples of situations that give rise to conflicts of interest in research:

• A researcher has a financial interest in a company sponsoring research conducted at the University and the researcher is an inventor of patents or creator of other IP whose value may be affected by the outcome of the
• A researcher holds a position in an entity (e.g. as director) that may wish to restrict (or otherwise manage) adverse research findings for commercial reasons or not wish to publish the resuluits of the
• A researcher conducts a clinical trial which is sponsored by any person or entity with a financial interest in the results of the
• A postgraduate research student conducts research on a project that receives support from a company in which the student has a financial interest or significant position.

Examples of situations that give rise to conflicts of interest in relation to student supervision and teaching:

• A member of staff who may be involved in decisions about a student’s admission, supervision or academic progress, or the award of any studentships, prizes or other grants in relation to a student who is his/her immediate family member or with whom he/she has a close personal
• A member of staff who is on the Board of Governors of a school and he/she is on a panel that will consider the application of a student from that school for an undergraduate place at the
• A member of staff who is in a position to judge the quality of a student’s work; to evaluate a student in any way; or holds or proposes to take a financial stake or hold a formal position in any student-run, student-owned or student-controlled commercial venture whilst that student is a student at the university