For U.S. Partners
Research conducted at DIS follows several procedures, outlined below, in order to adhere to ethics considerations for research in Denmark or Sweden, including the European Union’s GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) requirements. Any student participating in research while at DIS, whether as Research Assistant on a project with a DIS faculty mentor or while conducting an Independent Research Project with a DIS faculty mentor, will be informed of their responsibilities and made aware of any actions to be taken. Among these, a first step for students is often to seek approval through their home institutions’ Institutional Review Board (IRB) prior to leaving for DIS and participating in the project.
What is the GDPR?
The GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) is a privacy and security law that was drafted and put into effect by the European Union in May 2018. It imposes obligations on any institution or organization within or outside the European Union (EU) that targets or collects data related to people in the EU.
The Institutional Review Board (IRB)
U.S. educational institutions may require research students to receive Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval for their involvement in a research project. Some U.S. universities or colleges always require this where human subjects are involved, no matter where the research is conducted. Others will require it if the results of any research conducted in Denmark or Sweden are to be made public or published in the U.S.
All research at DIS adheres to the following ethics/GDPR procedures:
- Any (a) student seeking to conduct an Independent Research Project at DIS and (b) faculty member seeking DIS funding to conduct DIS Research with students involved as Research Assistants is asked during the application process whether they are conducting human subjects research. If they are, they are required to explain how they are addressing the required ethics and GDPR compliances, including informed consent and handling of personal data.
- Any (a) student seeking to conduct an Independent Research Project or (b) faculty member seeking DIS funding to conduct DIS Research with students involved as Research Assistants is asked during the application process whether they are conducting biological research on non-human animals. If they are, they are required to explain how they are addressing any relevant ethical considerations.
- Before coming to Denmark or Sweden, research students are asked to check whether home IRB-approval is required, and to seek this if necessary.
- Once involved in research at DIS, students and faculty are under strict obligation to follow any relevant ethics/GDPR compliances throughout the duration of their involvement, including the need for anonymity if transferring data outside of the European Union (EU) (e.g., to the U.S). Students are informed of these obligations and are invited to seek further clarity through their research mentor or by contacting research@dis.dk.
For further information, please contact research@dis.dk.