Ethics Committee Campus Fryslân

Objective

The Ethics Committee (EC) of the UG faculty Campus Fryslân (CF) provides ethical review for research projects conducted or supervised by department members, and/or involving faculty students. The EC provides advice to help researchers address ethical concerns and arbitrate ethical conflicts in a rigorous and timely way before research projects can start. No research involving human or animal participants may commence without appropriate ethics clearance.

Composition

The EC is a highly interdisciplinary committee:

• Matt Coler (Chair)
• Élise Roumeas 
• Indira van der Zande 
• Sabina Rosenbergová 
• Shekhar Nayak

When a member of the EC is directly involved with the research under review (as supervisor, collaborator, or otherwise), that member does not participate in the review of that application.

Review Tiers

Not all research requires the same level of scrutiny. The EC uses a three-tier framework:

• Tier 1: No formal review required. Literature reviews and secondary data analysis do not require ethics review. Observational research in public spaces where there is no reasonable expectation of privacy and no collection of personal data does not require formal review, though if such research is intended for publication, a Tier 2 submission is required so that the EC can issue written confirmation of clearance. Researchers are always expected to reflect on ethical dimensions and apply the relevant codes of conduct. When in doubt about whether research falls within Tier 1, consult the EC before proceeding

• Tier 2: Simplified review (expedited Chair approval). Most undergraduate primary research involving low-risk methods (surveys, interviews, focus groups, or polls) conducted with consenting adults where no sensitive topics, vulnerable populations, or personal data of consequence are involved. Researchers submit the completed ethics checklist and informed consent/information materials to the EC for the record. The Chair reviews these and approves if compliant; straightforward cases are turned around promptly. In cases of doubt, the full committee is consulted.

• Tier 3: Full application. All primary research involving human participants conducted at the graduate level and above, including PhD and faculty research. At the undergraduate level, a full application is required when the research involves vulnerable populations (minors, individuals who cannot provide informed consent, people in dependent relationships, or participants recruited from settings where voluntary participation cannot be adequately assured), sensitive topics (health, sexuality, legal status, political beliefs, trauma), deception, collection of personally identifiable or otherwise sensitive data, or any other element that merits comprehensive ethical review. Tier 3 applications are reviewed independently by two committee members..

If you are uncertain which tier applies to your research, contact the EC before submitting: ethics-cf rug.nl.

How to Apply

Send your application to ethics-cf rug.nl. The relevant forms and templates are available below. We aim to communicate a decision within one month of receipt. Research must not begin before clearance is granted. Retroactive approval is not possible.

Templates

• EC application template

• Information sheet and informed consent form template

These templates can be adapted to the disciplinary context of the research, consistent with the interdisciplinary nature of our faculty.

Questions

Write to ethics-cf rug.nl. The EC Chair will respond within one week.

Guidelines

The EC bases its evaluations on the following codes of conduct and regulatory frameworks. Researchers are expected to familiarise themselves with the relevant codes before applying.

Research ethics

• Netherlands Code of Conduct for Research Integrity (KNAW/NFU/NWO/TO2/VH/VSNU, 2018)

• Code of Ethics for Research in the Social and Behavioural Sciences Involving Human Participants (Nethics)

• European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity (ALLEA, 2023)

Data protection

• General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR / AVG)

• UG GDPR guidance ("De AVG en de RUG")

• UNL Code for the Use of Personal Data in Scientific Research

Research involving human subjects (where applicable)

• WMO (Wet medisch-wetenschappelijk onderzoek met mensen) — note: medical/clinical research subject to WMO falls under the purview of an accredited METC, not this committee

• Declaration of Helsinki

• CCMO guidelines

Researchers uncertain about the applicable regulatory framework (especially regarding the WMO boundary or multi-institutional studies) are encouraged to contact the EC before submitting.