3.3.2 Guiding principles for Centre Directors and Staff

Background

A Cochrane Centre’s primary role is to support contributors to The Cochrane Collaboration and to provide a focus for Cochrane activities within a defined geographical or linguistic area. In fulfilling this role, Centre Directors and Staff are expected to:

• uphold the ten principles of The Cochrane Collaboration;
• encourage effective and efficient communication between Centre staff and members of other entities within The Cochrane Collaboration;
• work towards ensuring the sustainability of the Centre in respect of meeting the core functions of a Centre.

Centre Directors and Centre staff are ambassadors of The Cochrane Collaboration, and need to be aware of potential conflicts of interest and issues of representation. Centre Directors and Centre staff should bear in mind that using their Cochrane Centre affiliation may beneficially or adversely affect The Cochrane Collaboration.

The following key points are designed to help guide Centre Directors and Centre staff in their internal and external interactions:

Internal interactions

• Centre Directors should encourage Centre staff to participate in Collaboration-wide activities as a way of developing a sense of belonging to The Cochrane Collaboration (besides being involved in their own Centre work).
• Centre Directors should themselves contribute to The Cochrane Collaboration’s activities beyond their own Centre work, and should attend Centre Directors’ meetings (or send a representative).

External interactions

• Use of the Cochrane Centre affiliation is appropriate when representing The Cochrane Collaboration or when publishing Cochrane reviews or work related to the Centre’s programme of work.
• Centre Directors and Centre staff should consider separating (where appropriate) their Cochrane activities from non-core Cochrane work (such as participation in guideline committees, HTA, EBM promotion, etc.).
• In situations where there may be confusion over the capacity in which a Centre Director is writing or acting as a representative, or when discussing or writing about issues which are not covered in official Cochrane documents, use of an alternative affiliation or disclaimer should be considered.
• Official policy within The Cochrane Collaboration is represented by Steering Group minutes, The Cochrane Policy Manual and the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions.