When Asael Rouby took over as LARI Secretary-General on an interim basis in late 2020, the Board of LARI decided that the beginning of a transitional period presented a good opportunity to obtain an external perspective and advice on the governance of LARI in light of the experiences made during the first years of the agency’s existence. The renowned consultancy Technopolis was commissioned to conduct such a governance audit and develop recommendations on how challenges that had become apparent between 2017 and 2020 could be addressed. Many of the recommendations subsequently helped guide LARI through the transition period, which was significantly prolonged by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
After a new Board of Directors was appointed in late 2022 and a new Secretary-General was hired in fall 2023, Technopolis was entrusted with assessing which recommendations have already been implemented and identifying further potentials for improvement. To that end, several key actors were consulted in fall 2023 and a short follow-up report to the original audit report was developed in the early months of 2024. This report, which marks the end of the transition of LARI insofar the agency’s governance structure is concerned, is now publicly available and can be accessed via the following link: Audit report LARI governance (2024)
The consolidation of a new governance structure now allows LARI to revitalize many of its key streams of activity and become a more active player again when it comes to promoting and safeguarding research integrity in Luxembourg, Europe, and beyond. Among other things, LARI is currently revising the Rules of Procedure of the National Commission for Research Integrity, developing a new website and logo, establishing a whistleblower platform, and re-strengthening its training and education portfolio. Stay tuned!
