Charter for Events and Communications

Preamble

The DISKAH fellowships and wider network are funded by the UKRI through the ‘UKRI300: Digital Skills in Arts and Humanities (DISKAH): Transforming Access to Digital Infrastructure and Skills’. DISKAH prioritises good practice around ethics and responsible research innovation, as inspired by the following frameworks, codes and values:

the AREA framework for responsible research and innovation (RRI): Anticipate, reflect, engage, act (UKRI/EPSRC; Owens et al. 2013).

UKRIO’s code of practice for research: informed consents, research integrity. and honouring the human dignity of participants.

Inclusive practice, as informed by specialist ethical codes for working with health, disability (e.g. NEAC 2019) and other protected characteristics under the Equality Act (2010).

UKRI DRI Values, including four priorities: Interconnected (community engagement and federation); FAIR (findable, accessibility, interoperability, and reusability); Human (people); Sustainable (Net Zero by 2040).

The DISKAH approach to ethically informed and responsible research innovation has been approved by the UKRI as part of the DISKAH project’s funding conditions. In addition, DISKAH also recognises academic freedom in relation to the Higher Education Freedom of Speech Act (2023, revised version 2025).

This charter is at the heart of DISKAH’s approach to building a collaborative network, widening arts and humanities access to digital skills and resources with Digital Research Infrastructure (DRI) partners, for the benefit of both the wider research community as well as for social good. DISKAH takes these charter principles as enabling the conditions for high quality research and game-changing, responsible innovation.

The preamble has been informed by institutional, national, and international frameworks in respect to UK law. The following values, behaviours, and consequences have been co-designed with the DISKAH team and fellows to provide guidance for all DISKAH activities and events.

Core values

Transparency, openness, collaboration, inclusion, ethically informed innovation, respect, candour, sustainability, social good, tenacity, grit, kindness, bravery (e.g. willingness to take risks in research), imagination, and exploratory engagement.

Acceptable behaviours in the spirit of collaboration

As a part of a collaborative research environment, we expect participants to show courtesy and respect for others. In particular, this includes openness to new ideas and valuing difference(s). DISKAH encourages sharing knowledge (including code and resources) and promotes constructive, collegial engagement.

In addition, we encourage participants to celebrate ideas, knowledge and others where appropriate. In line with this spirit, we encourage members to play and have fun with their projects, shared work, events, and innovations as appropriate to the context. The DISKAH team will also be mindful of members as whole people with outside responsibilities and respect flexible working arrangements within reasonable working hours.

We encourage behaviours that contribute to a welcoming research environment that foster collaboration and engagement.

Unacceptable behaviours that compromise collaboration

DISKAH will not tolerate any behaviours that target, harass, discriminate or abuse other members. We ask members to refrain from: Incendiary messages; rude, aggressive, and/or antagonistic communications and/or behaviours; unreasonable requests to work and/or participate outside of appropriate working hours; and profiting from shared and/or public research.

Consequences for violating the charter

The process for enforcement is dependent on the gravity of the behaviour. DISKAH does not tolerate abuse or harassment in any form. Behaviors such as exclusion, intimidation, use of abusive or degrading language, stalking, harassing photography or recording, inappropriate physical contact, unwelcome sexual attention, and all other forms of harassment will face consequences. The team retain the right to take actions to keep the event and/or activity a welcoming environment for all participants. This includes warning the offender or expulsion from the room/event if necessary.

Reporting

If someone makes you or anyone else feel unsafe or unwelcome, please report it as soon as possible. You can report in person to anyone on the project team, via email to the project manager and administrator (l.johncox@brighton.ac.uk and g.lebreuilly@brighton.ac.uk), or anonymously via this link: https://forms.office.com/e/P81nrsyP5F.

When reporting please be specific, stay constructive, and use respectful language.

Appendix: National standards and examples