The Observatory of Whistleblowing in Academia - MCAA Magazine March 2025

In 2024, the MCAA joined a coalition of European partners to implement the ambitious project “PAOLA: The Pandora box of whistleblowing in Academia”. This initiative highlights the MCAA’s commitment to fostering ethical practices and integrity within academic institutions.

A Collaborative Initiative for Academic Integrity

Led by Instante Falante (Portugal), the project brings together a diverse consortium, including Stichting Scilink (Netherlands), Transparencia Internacional (Portugal), Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi (Italy), and Dublin City University (Ireland) as Associate Partners. Throughout the project, the MCAA has played a key role as a representative of the academic and research community. The project’s primary goal has been to establish an Observatory for Academic Whistleblowing in Europe and to disseminate its mission through a comprehensive outreach plan.

Key Activities of the PAOLA Project

The PAOLA project stands as a testament to the value of cross- sectoral collaboration, a cornerstone of the MCAA’s mission to connect and empower its members globally. The main activities undertaken include:

• Literature and legal reviews: providing a foundational understanding of whistleblowing across several European countries, contributing to the Observatory’s framework.

• Data collection: using both quantitative methods (surveys) and qualitative (focus groups) approaches to gather insights from diverse stakeholders, reflecting the complexity of academic misconduct and whistleblowing experiences.

• Development of an online platform: shaped by input from the community, the MCAA members and project partners, this platform provides individuals and organisations with valuable resources and inputs related to whistleblowing in academia. It also outlines the Observatory structure, mission, and operational procedures.

• Creation of an online Communication Toolkit: designed to disseminate the key indicators and steps toward academic integrity. The toolkit offers practical resources to raise awareness and share best practices that academic organisations can implement to promote integrity and transparency in reporting unethical issues in academia.

• Outreach initiatives: targeting key stakeholders to communicate the Observatory’s mission and resources, fostering connections between academic and research institutions to advance ethical practices.

The Launch of the Observatory: a Milestone for Transparency

Five years after the release of the European Directive on Whistleblowing, the Observatory of Whistleblowing in Academia was officially launched on 23rd of October 2024. This platform is dedicated to fostering transparency, accountability and integrity in academic institutions. It serves as a centralized hub for sharing communication toolkits, international laws and guidelines, resources and research outcomes addressing unethical behaviour, misconduct or corruption within universities and research organisations. Importantly, the Observatory ensures that whistleblowers in academia are heard, protected and that their contributions lead to meaningful reforms in academic governance and ethics. By addressing these critical issues, the Observatory aspires to create a culture of accountability and trust within universities and research organizations.

To maximize its impact, the project includes a series of webinars introducing the Observatory and its accompanying Communication Toolkit. These webinars also offer insights from experts on relevant topics, empowering stakeholders to foster ethical practices in academia. Between 2024 and March 2025, five webinars were successfully held.

Moreover, the PAOLA project gained recognition from civil society by being named a finalist of the Tagides Award that recognises individuals and organisations that show efforts to promote integrity and transparency at different levels. While the primary objectives were to develop the Observatory of Academic Whistleblowing and implement an effective outreach plan, the PAOLA project also aims to:

• Enhance knowledge about whistleblowing in academia across Europe.

• Raise awareness within academic sectors about best practices for reporting unethical behavior.

• Promote discussions on policies related to misconduct and explore effective support systems for whistleblowers to prevent retaliation.

The MCAA’s involvement in PAOLA provides unique opportunities to champion its values and extend its impact.