Faculty Handbook

RESEARCH PROCEDURES AND GUIDELINES

Guidelines for Research Undertaken with Industry
(revised 9/1/2006)

Harvard University welcomes industrially supported research. Projects undertaken in cooperation with industry can extend the perspectives of investigators, provide valuable resources and support, and lead to discoveries of broad public interest. Naturally, every agreement with an industrial sponsor or collaborator must be fully consonant with the University's obligations as a beneficiary of the public's trust and of public financial support. None may compromise, nor give the public good reason to believe that Harvard is compromising, the University's fundamental academic values or the freedom of inquiry that members of Harvard's Faculties enjoy.

These guidelines outline some general principles - concerning how and why research is conducted at the University - which all research agreements must comply. They also identify some conditions likely to pose problems. Before any agreements containing such conditions is accepted, adequate procedures for safeguarding these principles must be specified in writing and approved by the Dean of the Faculty, who may seek the advice of appropriate committees. Agreements containing terms that violate, or may reasonably be interpreted as violating, these or other fundamental University values will not be accepted.

To contact us with suggestions, comments, and questions, please e-mail: facultyaffairs@hsph.harvard.edu

Copyright, 2007, President and Fellows of Harvard College