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Research Ethics

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Ethics involves contemplating the moral aspects of the research we undertake, assessing what is right or wrong within that context. Funding bodies across various disciplines, including the Research Councils, mandate the provision of comprehensive evidence from ethical reviews.

The University of Northampton is committed to maintaining ethical research and practice throughout the institution. The University requires all researchers based at the University to act ethically. This requirement extends to all researchers working with, for, or otherwise under the auspices of the University (e.g. those partnering with, or under contract to, the University).

Research Ethics at UON

The information on these webpages is aimed to guide researchers through the ethical review process.

  • The University Ethics Code and Procedures sets out a Research Ethics Code summarising expectations and principles for all research at the University of Northampton; and a set of Research Ethics Procedures through which all research at the University of Northampton shall be reviewed and approved in relation to the Research Ethics Code. See Research ethics code and procedures.
  • The University Research Ethics Committee (REC): oversees the research ethics framework at the University. It maintains Research Ethics Code and Procedures and supporting guidance, reviews all Postgraduate Research (PGR) ethics applications, reviews any items referred from Faculty/Department Ethics Committees and monitors consultative, evaluative and marketing research carried out by UON with its students and staff.
  • The Faculty and Department Ethics Committees: provide ethical review of research by staff from the Faculty/Department and cognate Research Institutes, to monitor and advise course, module or programme level ethics processes for research by the Faculty’s taught postgraduate and undergraduate students and review any items referred from course/module/programme level.
  • Course/module/programme-level ethics processes: Manage local practice for reviewing ethics applications for research by taught postgraduate and undergraduate students.
  • Research Data Management: Prior to submitting your Research Proposal, or applying for funding, ensure that you have a robust data management plan in place, it is worth noting that this should be seen as a living document, that can be updated and amended as required throughout the lifecycle of your research project. For more information on please visit Research Data Management pages.

When do I need to apply for ethical approval?

Ethical approval is required for all research projects. Where research involves the below, full ethical approval is required by the relevant faculty ethics committee.

  • Humans
  • Data relating to humans
  • Animals
  • Human tissue (must ensure that your work complies with the Human Tissue Act 2004)
  • Materials in which people living within the last 100 years are identifiable
  • Sensitive materials

Where research poses a low ethical risk (i.e., none of the above), researchers may undergo a shorter, expedited review process. In such cases, researchers must provide background information about their project and a clear, concise explanation why their project poses a ‘low ethical risk’. It is the responsibility of the principal investigator to decide whether the project is low risk or requires full ethical approval.

Why is faculty ethics committee approval needed?

Faculty ethics committee approval is required to safeguard researchers conducting the study and protects the rights, safety and well-being of research participants. Obtaining ethical approval also facilitates and promotes ethical research that is of potential benefit to participants, science, and society. The University can ensure that the research conducted is of a high ethical standard and is in accordance with research governance.

Each faculty has its own faculty ethics committee with their own procedures for submitting and reviewing research and consultancy projects. The faculty ethics committees approval process for each faculty can be found here. 

The research institutes’ ethical approval sits within the following faculty committees:

  • Institute for Creative Leather Technologies: Faculty of Arts, Science and Technology
  • Institute for Social Innovation and Impact: Faculty of Business & Law
  • Institute for Public Safety, Crime & Justice: Faculty of Health, Education & Society