Following from the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of scholarly and artistic activities, and from the University’s autonomy, mission, and values, the Senate of the University of Ljubljana hereby accepts and approves the following

CODE OF ETHICS UNIVERSITY OF LJUBLJANA

PREAMBLE

The Code of Ethics determines the basic ethical standards for students, faculty members, and all other personnel at the University of Ljubljana (hereinafter the University) - a public institution striving for good interpersonal relationships, progress, and welfare of the entire community.
The Code of Ethics aims to build and maintain high professional and ethical standards among members of the University community, strengthen loyalty, ensure the transparency and social responsibility of the University's activities, and encourage the freedom of research, teaching, and learning, as well as promote a positive public image of the University.

I. GENERAL

Article 1

Faculty members, researchers, and students demonstrate their loyalty to the University by respecting the basic principle of implementing and maintaining its fundamental values.

Article 2

The University’s fundamental values are as follows: excellence and honesty in teaching and research, autonomy, freedom in scholarship and research, respect for personal integrity, humanism, social fairness, equality, and truth. To implement these values the faculty, researchers, and students strive for integrity and a responsible attitude toward their work, adopt a critical stance, and exercise tolerance and openness to new ideas.

Article 3

Faculty members, researchers, and students uphold the mission of the University by fully and consistently performing their teaching and research activities, by their responsible participation in University bodies, and by acting in accordance with the University’s fundamental values outside its environment.

Article 4

The integrity of the University teacher and researcher is mainly expressed through professional excellence and ethical conduct.

Article 5

A responsible attitude towards work is demonstrated by complete and regular fulfilment of work obligations, and by initiative and readiness to engage in other assignments when necessary. Faculty members and researchers exercise a responsible working attitude through their commitment to research as well as by following and contributing to development in their field of research even when the results will not directly affect their career advancement and remuneration.

Article 6

The fundamental aim of faculty members, researchers, and students is intellectual independence, which enables a critical stance towards various issues in the social environment and in research or professional activity. A critical stance is understood as a commitment to constructive criticism and a rejection of any apriorism.

Article 7

Openness to new ideas is the foundation of creativity and one of the key teaching and research virtues. Constructive criticism and responsible acceptance of new ideas ensure a high level of quality and prevent oversimplification and extremism.

Article 8

Tolerance by faculty members, researchers, and students enables critical acceptance of diversity. Advocating values in a responsible way prevents tolerance from turning into indifference and apathy.

Article 9

University loyalty is expressed in the general commitment to maintaining and raising the University’s profile and values achieved through teaching, research, and artistic endeavours as well as in publicly representing the University.

II. TEACHING

Article 10

Academic freedom

Academic freedom is the right and also the fundamental responsibility of faculty members and students. Faculty members exercise their academic freedom through teaching, research, and creative activities, which are aligned with the generally accepted ethical and University standards. Teaching and methods of instruction are based on scientific findings and empirical evidence.

Article 11

Faculty members and students form an indivisible community, with faculty members exhibiting openness and commitment in order to assure students of an encouraging learning environment, while the students contribute their part to the normal course and continuous improvement of the teaching process through their conscientious and responsible work.

Article 12

The aim of instruction is to disseminate knowledge and encourage creative, critical, and responsible thinking.

Article 13

For students, academic freedom means academic autonomy, in which they are committed to reaching their goals through responsible study and personal initiative as well as to adopting responsible conduct in line with the Code of Ethics and generally accepted standards.

III. RESEARCH

Article 14

Honesty in research

Research activities are based on research freedom, academic freedom, personal integrity, and research honesty.

Article 15

Research honesty involves consistent respect of authorship, correct recognition and citation of other scholars’ research achievements, the consistent use of appropriate research methods, fair and professionally irreproachable interpretation of results and honest data reporting, and objective examination of research hypotheses.

Article 16

Conducting research

In addition to the regulations in force, researchers at the University of Ljubljana adhere to internationally recognized ethical rules and standards that apply to their specific fields of research. This is of particular importance in biomedical research involving human subjects and tissues, as well as other research involving human beings in which the results may affect individuals’ status and reputation.

IV. ACTIVITIES AND CONDUCT OF FACULTY MEMBERS, UNIVERSITY PERSONNEL, AND STUDENTS OUTSIDE THE UNIVERSITY ENVIRONMENT

Article 17

When speaking or acting as private persons outside the university, faculty members, University personnel, and students respect the values and ethical standards as defined in this Code.
Members of the University community have the right to join political parties, professional and interest associations, religious communities, and other organizations, and may express their own opinions as private persons. When they speak or act as private persons they avoid potential conflicts of interest so that their activities do not conflict with their responsibilities and duties at the University.
Teaching staff, researchers, and associate members of the faculty who perform political analyses as experts according to academic standards may present their findings either to the general public or during their courses.

Article 18

University faculty members, personnel, and students who have been elected or appointed as representatives of a political party may not be elected or appointed to any leading positions within the University or any of its members, such as rector, vice rector, dean, vice dean, or department or unit chair, and may not become members of the University Senate or the University Governance Board.
Political activism or any other form of propaganda on University premises, and exploitation of the teaching process or University funds for political or similar non-academic purposes, represent a serious breach of this Code.

V. ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE THE UNIVERSITY

Article 19

Faculty members and researchers may not perform activities outside the University if these activities hinder the normal course of the teaching or research process at the University.

Article 20

When involved in activities outside the University, faculty members and researchers must abide by the University’s fundamental values and the regulations in this Code, especially regarding honesty, critical stance, and the dignity of academic profession.

VI. CONDUCT TOWARDS UNIVERSITY RESOURCES

Article 21

Faculty members, University personnel, and students at the University are obliged to use the equipment, facilities, and financial means they are entrusted with in accordance with their proper purpose and with due diligence. They must strive to use these resources economically and to the greatest possible benefit to the community.
University resources may not be used for private gain.

VII. ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS AT THE UNIVERSITY

Article 22

In their conduct, faculty members and students who hold administrative positions at the University adhere to the highest ethical standards.
They perform their duties in the spirit of the academic tradition with dedication and responsibility, taking into account the long-term effects of the measures they propose and introduce.
They seek to achieve consensus in their decision-making and to avoid outvoting one another.

VIII. THE ETHICS COMMITTEE

Article 23

The University Senate has the right to appoint the Ethics Committee and determine its membership, term of service, and responsibilities.

26 May 2009
Prof. Andreja Kocijančič, PhD
Rector