Research Policies

While we hope our research benefits society, the process of knowledge generation can entail risks and consequences for the environment, human participants and animal subjects involved.

The public’s trust and confidence in the research community to regulate itself to the highest ethical and moral standards is central to our continued acceptance and operation within society. Government laws and regulations, and the university policies that support them, are designed to help protect the public interest and vulnerable parties involved in research, to hold researchers and research institutions accountable, and to support a culture of research integrity and innovation. Failure to obtain and maintain necessary approvals, permits and/or certifications related to ethics constitutes a serious form of research misconduct.

Each of us has the responsibility to critically evaluate every decision to involve research subjects, to consider potential impacts of the research on the environment, and to minimize risks throughout the project.

BEST PRACTICES

Complete and seek available training

UBC offers numerous research training opportunities throughout the year, some of which are mandatory for research compliance. Following through on our training not only helps to minimize the impact on human participants, animal research subjects and the environment but can also help you to anticipate common challenges and reduce costs during the research process. Moreover, you may wish to seek additional resources or workshops on ethical decision-making that can support you to navigate the increasingly complex research environment.

 

When in doubt, seek clarification

While guiding principles and established processes can help ensure that research is conducted ethically, how you apply them will depend on the nature and context of the research. If you’re unsure how these principles and processes apply in your work, seek support and clarification from a mentor, peers or the Office of Research Services before you embark on a project that could put yourself, others, or the environment at risk.

 

Share in and promote the responsible involvement of research subjects

As individuals invested in the success of our research and others’, we have the responsibility to justify decisions to involve human participants and animal subjects, to engage in open discussions on moral and ethical dilemmas with our peers and to hold each other accountable for conducting research ethically and responsibly.

 

CHALLENGES

Resources

Helpful Links

• CORE: Tri-Council Policy Statement (TCPS2 2018) Online Tutorial
• Guidance Notes, UBC Office of Research Ethics
• Planning Your Research, UBC Animal Care and Use Program
• Research Safety Training, UBC Safety & Risk Services
• UBC Indigenous Research Support Services

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