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Research Ethics and Integrity

Introduction

Research integrity means conducting research in a manner that evidences the highest possible professional standards and quality. This is applicable across the full research process, including planning and conducting, recording and report dissemination, and application. The University is a signatory to the Universities UK Concordat to Support Research Integrity (2019) and is committed to its five core principles.

Research ethics represents one critical aspect of integrity, focusing on the principles of respect for persons, equality, informed consent, confidentiality, and avoidance of conflicts of interest.

This page contains the University of Cumbria's policies, practices, and guidance on research integrity and ethics with a view to promoting best practices in the ethical conduct of research..



Research Integrity

Our staff and students must maintain high professional standards through the conduct of their research. The University has policies and procedures in place to ensure this, outlined in the University's Code of Practice for Research. This Code sets out the principles of good conduct in research to be adhered by and directly supports the University's commitment to the Universities UK Concordat to Support Research Integrity (2019).



Support To Staff and Students

Annual Reporting

Research Ethics

The University of Cumbria expects that all university researchers will uphold the highest possible standards of research integrity , as clarified in the Code of Practice for Research. This applies to all staff, postgraduate researchers (PGRs) and their supervisors, and all student researchers reading for taught degrees and their supervisors. As a core element of this integrity, formal ethics approval is prospectively required for all research activities that directly involve humans, human tissue, data relating to humans, animals, data where intellectual property is unclear, matters that could impact upon the university’s reputation and others indicated below, and in the formal Research Ethics Policy

It is the responsibility of a Principal Investigator (PI) or a PGR’s lead supervisor to determine whether ethics review of a project is required from the UoC Research Ethics Panel (REP).

It is the responsibility of Research Module Leaders on undergraduate and postgraduate taught degree programmes to provide an appropriate framework for ethically reviewing student projects, and the responsibility of a student’s research supervisor to determine whether ethical approval is required.

Conducting research at any level without necessary ethics approval will be considered research misconduct, which will be investigated in all cases.

Immediately below is some key information that might help UoC staff and PGRs understand and navigate the UoC ethics process for most types of research. 

While teaching teams are responsible for the management of research ethics on taught programmes, much of this information might nevertheless prove useful in design and decision-making. 



What does the Research Ethics Panel do?

How long does it take to get ethical approval?

What kinds of research need ethics review?

What kinds of research are usually exempt from ethics review?

Tips for a good application

Research Ethics Approval Process - Staff & Postgraduate Students

Research Ethics Approval Process - Undergraduate & Postgraduate Taught

Research Ethics Guidance and Templates

Contacts

Integrity and Ethics Training

The University offers the following training resources on ethics and integrity. Training is available annually to staff and postgraduate research students via Research Skills Development Programme – ‘Ethical Research and Ethical Approval session. This can be booked via the Research & Knowledge Exchange StaffHub page and BlackBoard. Specific training for Research Supervisors is available via the Research Supervisor Workshops & Research Integrity, Ethics, and the Role of the Supervisor. This can be booked via the Research & Knowledge Exchange StaffHub page. It is compulsory for all staff to complete the following mandatory training:

  • Information Security, Being Safe Online and GDPR
  • Safeguarding


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