IRAFPA MANIFESTO
The Institute of Research and Action on Fraud and Plagiarism in Academia (IRAFPA) was established in 2016 by a group of international researchers who have been promoting academic integrity and combating misconduct, such as fraud and plagiarism, in the academic field since the early 2000s.
IRAFPA is an international and interdisciplinary scientific network. It has developed a methodology of expertise in fraud and plagiarism, mediated over 200 cases involving individuals and institutions, and shared its knowledge through conferences, summer schools, and both on-site and digital platforms (including open-access publications, more than 75 expert videos, and the Academic Integrity Letter with 19,300 subscribers, among others).
The IRAFPA manifesto states that:
- The Institute acts as a mediator, not an arbitrator. It identifies and analyzes immediate and potential risks linked to positions taken in conflict cases, whether at the inter-individual level (e.g., accused plagiarist vs. direct victims) or in systemic disputes (e.g., universities vs. publishers; institutions vs. civil society).
- The Institute serves as a conduit for knowledge. Its mission is to reaffirm a conceptual framework around complex themes such as trust, integrity, academic freedom, and responsibility. Its debate conferences, summer schools, and intra-institutional training programs employ pedagogical approaches designed to promote a strong culture of integrity.
- The Institute is firmly multidisciplinary. It welcomes researchers and educators from all disciplines, allowing it to observe and analyze issues and debates from various epistemological and methodological perspectives.
- The Institute operates through collaborative research. It involves its Scientific Council members, advisors, and regional correspondents in the pursuit of viable and sustainable solutions.
- The Institute disseminates knowledge. Using an interactionist methodology, it publishes reference works annually in both French and English, through traditional publishing and open access. Its video library features over 75 expert videos available for free access.
- In terms of values, the Institute opposes any form of symbolic, intellectual, or factual violence against members of the academic community, regardless of their status.
- The Institute identifies knowledge delinquents as those who break or distort the connection between predecessors and successors. Every new researcher must have access to source data to conduct their own analysis and propose new interpretations.
- The Institute values partnerships with those whose vocation is to create and transmit knowledge—whether individuals, organizations, or institutions—and who actively contribute to fostering a culture of academic integrity.
Version 23 December 2024.