Policies and documents

Research ethics and integrity

York St John University is committed to maintaining the highest ethical and integrity standards in research carried out by its staff and students.

The role of the School Research Ethics Committees (SREC) (approved 2020) and the University Research Ethics and Integrity Sub-Committee (UREISC) is to support the university's research activities by implementing our research ethics policies. The committees consider all proposals for research from an ethical standpoint for all staff and research students.

Research ethics

All research projects carried out by staff and students must refer to the university's 2015 to 16 Research Ethics Policy:

Research Ethics Policy (DOC, 42.1kB)

Please note that this policy is currently being updated to reflect the new structure. It is the responsibility of the member of staff or research student leading the project to ensure compliance. Staff and research students should also refer to the Research Misconduct Policy:

Research Misconduct Policy and Procedures (DOCX, 60.7kB)

Research integrity

York St John University is committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards in research carried out by its staff and students. Its approach to research integrity complies with the Concordat to Support Research Integrity (link to external site). The University treats all allegations of misconduct seriously and is committed to ensuring that allegations are investigated with thoroughness and rigour in accordance with the YSJ Code of Practice on Research Integrity:

RO01 - Code of Practice, Research Integrity (DOCx, 57kb)

Process for research ethics approval

All applications should be submitted to your school committee via the contact below. They will consider the application and will either approve it, request more information or they may escalate it to the UREISC if considered to be high risk.

How to apply

Please complete the following form before the research begins:

Application for ethical approval and DPIA (DOCx, 74 kB)

Your completed form should be submitted to the relevant school committee:

School	Chair	Email	Start date	Expiry date
Creative Art and Health	Professor Lee Higgins	l.higgins@yorksj.ac.uk	01/01/2020	31/12/2022
Humanities	Dr Olelakan Adekola	o.adekola@yorksj.ac.uk	01/01/2020	31/12/2022
Education, Language and Psychology	Dr Caroline Leeson	c.leeson@yorksj.ac.uk	01/01/2020	31/12/2022

You will be notified directly if approval has been given or if further information is required. Your research must not commence until approval has been given.

Prevent Duty compliance

It is important that you understand your obligations and Prevent Duty compliance. In compliance with the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, and Prevent Duty for Higher Education 2015 it is a legal requirement that any research into terrorism, extremism, radicalisation, and similar areas use secure data storage (digital or hard copy). See appendices A, B and C in the research ethical consideration form for more information. Please use the Prevent duty guidance:

Prevent duty guidance: for higher education institutions in England and Wales (gov.uk)

Please contact the relevant School Research Ethics Committee Chair with any queries regardings ethics or your application.

Association for Research Ethics

The University is a member and receives copies of the Research Ethics Review (official journal of AfRE) which is published on a quarterly basis.

To read the full articles from any of the past copies please refer to the copies of the journal available in the University Library (174.2805 RES).