In 2024, a coalition of European partners united to implement the ambitious Erasmus+ project “PAOLA: The PAndora bOx of whistLeblowing in Academia”. This initiative, led by Instante Falante from Portugal, brought together esteemed collaborators, from Stichting Scilink (the Netherlands), Marie Curie Alumni Association – MCAA (Belgium), Transparency Internacional – TI (Portugal), Dublin City University (Ireland), and Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi (Italy). The project’s primary goal was to establish an Observatory for Academic Whistleblowing in Europe and to disseminate its mission through a comprehensive outreach plan.

Towards this aim, the consortium adopted a mixed-methodology approach and cross-sectoral implementation strategy to achieve its goals. The main activities undertaken included:

• Literature and legal reviews focused on whistleblowing across Europe, providing a foundational understanding of the topic.
• Data collection using both quantitative methods (surveys) and qualitative approaches (focus groups) to gather insights from diverse stakeholders about the phenomenon of academic misconduct and whistleblowing experiences.
• Development of an online Observatory, outlining its structure, mission, and operational procedure.
• Development of an online communication toolkit in order to disseminate the main indicators and steps toward academic integrity.
• Outreach initiatives targeting key stakeholders and groups to communicate the Observatory’s purpose and resources.

The Observatory of Whistleblowing in Academia was launched on 23 October 2024. The platform is dedicated to fostering transparency, accountability and integrity in academic institutions. It is a centralized space for sharing communication toolkits, international laws and guidelines, resources and research outcomes about unethical behaviour, misconduct or corruption within universities and research organisations.

The Observatory of Academic Whistleblowing also seeks to amplify the voices of whistleblowers, ensuring they are heard and protected, and that their contributions drive meaningful reform 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 too, that introduce the Observatory and its accompanying communication toolkit as well as brings insights into the relevant topics and issues from experts. These sessions provide practical resources that stakeholders can share via social media platforms and within their institutions, empowering them to actively participate in fostering ethical practices in academia. In 2024, three webinars were organized and in 2025 there are already two more on 17 January 2025 and 30 January 2025 (please get more details from the Observatory website and LinkedIn page).

While the primary objectives were to develop the Observatory of Academic Whistleblowing and implement an effective outreach plan, the PAOLA project also aims to achieve the following:

• Enhancing knowledge about whistleblowing in academia across Europe.
• Raising awareness within academic sectors about best practices for reporting unethical behavior.
• Promoting discussions on policies related to misconduct and exploring effective support systems for whistleblowers to prevent retaliation.

Through the collective efforts of its partners, the PAOLA Project is set to make a lasting impact, providing researchers and academics with the tools and knowledge needed to address unethical practices and support whistleblowing initiatives effectively.

Photo by Casey Horner on Unsplash.