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Research and knowledge exchange

Policies, procedures and appeals

All researchers MUST be familiar with, and adhere to, the University’s Code of Practice for Research. Researchers should also refer to the University's Research Governance Standard Operating Procedures (currently being updated) which set out the principles behind ethical review and the legislatory and regulatory framework under which research is conducted.

Collecting human participant data without ethics approval is a breach of the Code of Practice for Research and any breaches will be considered and investigated under the University’s Procedure for the Investigation of Allegations of Misconduct in Research (staff and PhD students) or the University’s Regulations for examinations and assessment (taught students). 

Depending on the nature of your research (e.g. field work, work in a laboratory, trips abroad etc) there will be other policies that you must follow and refer to in your ethics application (search the Ethics A-Z by topic if not listed below).  

All researchers must comply with the Data Protection Act (2018) (General Data Protection Regulation) and the University’s Research Data Management Policy.

Useful Policies and procedures

Appeals against decisions of a C-REC

The Research Ethics and Integrity Committee (REIC) has the responsibility to hear appeals against the ethical review decision of a C-REC in the event that all reasonable dialogue between the Committee and the researcher has failed to reach a suitable outcome. Please contact the Research Governance Officer for further information.

Appeals relating to the decisions of supervisors or School Research Ethics Officers (SREOs) should be dealt with in the relevant School of Study.

Applying for an NHS Research Passport

General information about the NHS Research Passport system is available from the 

Research Data Management

Guidance on Data Protection and Research (Ethics and the GDPR) - May 2018

Researchers required to undertake a  should contact the University's Data Protection Officer - dpo@sussex.ac.uk

(GDPR) - Understanding your legal responsibilities for the use of personal data

University Master Records Retention Schedule and Records Management Policy

Why manage your research data?   (University Library guides to research data management including Sussex Research Data Repository and Sussex Research Online)

University Privacy Statement

Overseas Travel

All ethical review applications involving overseas travel should be accompanied by a fully completed (including authorisations) Overseas Travel Safety and Security Risk Assessment (ORSSRA) form.

The responsibilities for oversight of risk in travel are set out in the University's Fieldwork Safety Policy.

The University expects that staff with responsibility for signing off research travel or field work activity that falls under the category of 'high risk' are familiar with the principles of the UCEA's  .