Laws, codes and regulations
The BSS Faculty expects its researchers to carry out their research in accordance with all applicable laws, codes, and regulations.
Legislation
Privacy
As most of the research carried out in BSS involves human participants, the research will probably involve personal data processing. Even secondary data, that is, data previously collected by others (e.g., CBS, social media) may still be personal data. Researchers processing personal data are required to comply with European and Dutch privacy laws:
• General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
• Algemene Verordening Gegevensbescherming (AVG)
The GDPR does not prohibit you from processing personal data, as long as you can justify the reason for processing the data during your research, inform participants about the processing, and take measures to protect and secure the data. Here is a short clip titled The GDPR and the UG.
Read more about what the GDPR means for personal data processing in the context of research on the BSS infonet page on privacy [link].
Medical research and research conducted at UMCG
Researchers studying medically relevant research questions or using medical science methods are expected to comply with the Medical Research Involving Human Participants Act (WMO). Research that requires review under the WMO must be reviewed by a Medical Ethics Review Board (METc).
You may also ask the METc to assess whether your research is subject to the WMO. If not, then you will receive a “non-WMO” exemption letter from the METc. If the research is conducted at the UMCG, then their Central Review Committee (CTC) will review. If you have received an METc exemption letter, please include this as an attachment to the EC-Request application.
Codes of Conduct
The ethics review procedure of the EC-BSS was developed in accordance with the following codes for scientific research:
See als the UG pages on Integrity and on Research Ethics and the UG Regulations for the Protection of Academic Integrity UG (NED & ENG).
Other regulations: research abroad, multi-centre research
Research abroad conducted
If the research involves participants located outside the Netherlands, researchers will need to consider the applicable laws, rules, and culture in the relevant country. They are responsible for ensuring that the research is conducted with due regard for the local situations (see Nethics code).
Researchers are expected to apply for review by a local ethics committee whenever possible. Research reviewed elsewhere may not require additional review by the EC-BSS. Please contact your discipline-specific chamber for advice.
In the case of doubt about the legal aspects of the research, please contact the General Administrative and Legal Affairs department (AJZ).
Multi-centre research
Section A of the Nethics code defines ‘institute’ as an organization that carries out systematic scientific research in, or related to, the social and/or behavioural sciences. ‘Nethics institute’ is defined as an institute that has joined Nethics and subscribes to the Nethics code. This includes the UG-BSS faculty. See the Nethics website for other affiliated institutes.
Section K of the Nethics code states that in case of research projects involving multiple Nethics Institutes, it is sufficient to perform ethics review at a single institute. The research may be reviewed by the EC-BSS, or at another Nethics institute. It is also possible that different parts of a larger project are reviewed by different Nethics Institutes.
If institutes that are not Nethics institutes are involved in planned multi-centre research, then please consult with the EC-BSS about ethics review before starting a review application in EC-Request.
In any case, if personal data is processed at the UG as part of multi-centre research, then UG researchers are responsible that this is done in line with the GDPR. This means a formal agreement may be required in addition to a DMP.
Please consult the Data, Privacy & Security pages for guidance.
Even if no personal data is processed, the Netherlands Code of Conduct for Research Integrity states that the responsibilities and tasks of all parties must be recorded in written and signed collaboration agreements.