COPE is a membership organization that provides resources and education on publication ethics to over 11,000 journals and publishers in 103 countries. Its mission is to influence the culture of publishing through better education and support so that ethical practices become the norm rather than something imposed externally. COPE brings together stakeholders in scholarly publishing to share knowledge and ideas to ensure ethical practices are embedded in the culture. It provides practical resources and acts as a neutral voice in debates while also helping members handle cases of potential misconduct.

1. Models for rolling out cultural
change in the medical editors’
community: the COPE model
Ginny Barbour,
Director, AOASG
Immediate past Chair, COPE

2. Membership
organisation that
provides advice and
education on
publication ethics
More than 11,000
journals, plus publishers
and individual members
103 countries – Algeria
to Zimbabwe
Overseen by an elected
Council and Trustees
and run by a small staff
Freely available
resources, meetings,
forums

3. COPE’s core mission:
“to educate and support;
our remit and approach is firmly in the direction of
influencing through better education, resources and
support of our members, alongside the fostering of a
professional debate.
It is our mission over the next few years to build on
this with the aim to move the culture of publishing
towards one where ethical practices become the
norm, part of the culture itself, not something
imposed from outside.”
COPE Strategic plan 2016-2018
https://publicationethics.org/files/u7140/StrategicPlan2016_2018.pdf

4. Three core principles:
Providing practical resources to educate and support our
members
Providing leadership in thinking on publication ethics
Offering a neutral, professional voice in current debates
COPE brings together key groups in the scholarly
publishing process and helps them to share their
knowledge and ideas – to ensure “ethical practices
become part of the culture itself”
COPE Strategic plan 2016-2018
https://publicationethics.org/files/u7140/StrategicPlan2016_2018.pdf

5. How COPE functions
Membership organisation
Advice and support to members of how to handle their
own cases
Core to this are the cases, presented at forums
Was - in one room in London – 20 people
Now – online, global

6. Future challenges
• Keeping sense of community in virtual world
• Helping diverse members respond to new and
evolving issues
• Defining role in ecosystem of resources and forums