Background on COPE and the Upcoming Forum
The Committee on Publication Ethics, known as COPE, is a UK-registered charity established in 1997 to support editors, publishers, and institutions in maintaining high standards of integrity in scholarly publishing. Its work has grown to encompass a global membership while retaining strong roots in the United Kingdom’s academic landscape. The June 2026 COPE Forum, scheduled for 22 June at 10:00am BST, opens with a focused discussion titled “When citation integrity is questioned.” This session will examine cases where references are missing, irrelevant, erroneous, or fabricated, followed by advice on real-world cases submitted by COPE members.
UK universities and their affiliated journals play a central role in the scholarly record. With thousands of researchers contributing to peer-reviewed outputs each year, the reliability of citations directly affects how work is discovered, evaluated, and funded. The forum arrives at a time when citation practices are under increasing scrutiny from funders, institutions, and the research community itself.
The Core Issues of Citation Integrity
Citation integrity refers to the accurate, relevant, and honest referencing of prior work. When this breaks down, the foundations of new research become unreliable. Common problems include citations to non-existent papers, references that do not support the claims made, and the use of citation rings where authors mutually cite each other without substantive connection. These issues can distort metrics such as the h-index and journal impact factors, which remain important in UK higher education for career progression and institutional assessments.
Recent concerns have highlighted cases where references appear to have been suggested by AI tools without verification or where citation lists have been manipulated. The COPE Forum will explore these scenarios through case examples, providing practical guidance for editors and publishers on how to respond when integrity questions arise.
Relevance to UK Higher Education Institutions
UK universities face particular pressures around research integrity because of the Research Excellence Framework (REF) and funding decisions by bodies such as UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and Research England. Citation data often informs impact case studies and environment statements. When citation integrity is compromised, it risks undermining the credibility of institutional submissions and individual researcher profiles.
Many UK institutions host or partner with journals that are COPE members. University presses and society journals based in the UK, including those at Oxford, Cambridge, and Edinburgh, routinely apply COPE guidelines. The forum offers an opportunity for administrators and research offices to align internal policies with emerging best practices discussed at the event.
Stakeholder Perspectives Across the Sector
Journal editors at UK universities often encounter citation problems during peer review or post-publication. Researchers, particularly early-career academics and PhD candidates, rely on accurate citations to build arguments and demonstrate knowledge of the field. University administrators must balance the drive for high publication volumes with the need for rigorous integrity checks.
Funders and regulators, including the UK Committee on Research Integrity, emphasise transparency and accountability. The COPE Forum provides a neutral space where these groups can share experiences and develop consistent approaches. Librarians and research support staff at institutions such as Imperial College London and University College London also play a growing role in training researchers on responsible citation practices.
Practical Challenges and Real-World Examples
One recurring challenge is the rapid rise of AI-assisted writing tools that can generate plausible but inaccurate reference lists. UK research offices are increasingly offering workshops to help staff and students verify citations manually or with reliable databases. Another issue involves citation of retracted or corrected papers without appropriate context, which can propagate errors through the literature.
Case discussions at previous COPE forums have covered fabricated references in medical and social science papers, prompting journals to strengthen their submission guidelines. The June 2026 session is expected to build on these precedents with fresh examples relevant to current publishing workflows.
Implications for Researchers and Career Development
For PhD-track job seekers and early-career academics in the UK, citation integrity is not merely an ethical concern but a career one. Publications with questionable citations can damage reputations and affect applications for lectureships, fellowships, and grants. Universities are responding by incorporating research integrity modules into doctoral training programmes.
Clear policies on citation checking and post-publication correction help create a supportive environment. The COPE Forum discussions will likely inform new guidance that institutions can adopt to protect both individual researchers and collective institutional reputation.
Tools, Training, and Institutional Responses
Many UK universities now recommend reference management software combined with manual verification steps. Training sessions organised through libraries or research offices cover common pitfalls and how to respond when concerns are raised. Some institutions have established research integrity committees that liaise directly with journals when issues arise.
COPE’s own resources, including its core practices and guidelines on cooperation between institutions and journals, provide a foundation that UK higher education providers can adapt. The forum offers live case-based learning that complements these static documents.
Future Outlook and Sector-Wide Recommendations
As scholarly publishing evolves with greater use of preprints, open peer review, and AI tools, citation integrity will remain a priority. UK universities are well positioned to lead by example through transparent policies and active participation in forums such as COPE’s. Recommendations likely to emerge include mandatory citation verification at submission, clearer retraction and correction notices, and expanded training for all research-active staff.
Continued dialogue between editors, institutions, and funders will be essential. The June 2026 COPE Forum represents a timely opportunity to strengthen these connections and safeguard the quality of the UK’s research output.
Photo by Giammarco Boscaro on Unsplash
Actionable Steps for UK Academics and Administrators
Academics can begin by reviewing their own citation practices and encouraging colleagues to do the same. Research offices should consider inviting COPE representatives or members to deliver internal workshops. Journal editors based at UK institutions are encouraged to register for the forum and submit cases for discussion.
Longer-term actions include updating institutional research integrity policies to reference the latest COPE guidance and ensuring that doctoral students receive dedicated training on citation ethics. These steps will help maintain the high standards expected of UK higher education on the global stage.
