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.
- Code of Practice for Research
- Research Governance Standard Operating Procedures (currently being updated)
- Guidance on Data Protection and Research (Ethics and the GDPR)
- Working with Human Tissue (the Human Tissue Act)
- Standard Operating Procedures for named laboratories
- Accessing Genetic Materials for Research (Nagoya Protocol)
- Guidance on DBS Checks (formerly known as CRB)
- Guidelines for Recruiting Students as Participants in a Research project
- Research Data Management
- Safeguarding
- Overseas Travel and Security Risk Assessment (OTSSRA)
- Risk Assessment (including field trips and lone working)
- Managing Risks in Internationalisation (General Counsel and Compliance: Export controls, Sanctions, National Security and Investment Act)
- Working with children
- Terms of Reference for C-REC's
- Reviewers Guidance
- Working in Schools
- Standard Operating Procedures for C-RECS
- Video Conferencing policy
- Process for accessing specific University IT resources to enable security sensitive research
- Accessing ITS resource for sensitive research - application form
- Master Records Retention Schedule (Planning, Governance and Compliance)
- SOP for Management of participant data for secondary research purposes
- SOP for obtaining consent for research with child participants in schools
- COVID-19 Guidance
- Lab Work Policy
- Nagoya Protocol (sourcing genetic materials for research)
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.
General information about the NHS Research Passport system is available from the NIHR website.
- Staff - Consult the University NHS Research Passport guidance note on the procedure to follow.
- Students: Contact the Research Governance Officer for more specific University procedures for students.
- BSMS students should contact the the BSMS Research Administrator.
Guidance on Data Protection and Research (Ethics and the GDPR) - May 2018
Researchers required to undertake a Privacy Impact Assessment should contact the University's Data Protection Officer - dpo@sussex.ac.uk
General Data Protection Regulation (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)
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 Guidance on Health and Safety in Fieldwork .