Research ethics and integrity

The University of Stirling is committed to the highest possible ethical standards. We promote a culture of best practice and integrity in all our research through the core values of honesty, rigour, open communication, care, and respect. To safeguard the interests of researchers, participants and funding bodies, research within the University only proceeds after strict scrutiny by one of our three internal Research Ethics Panels.

Read more about the research values we hold to in The Concordat to Support Research Integrity.  

Upholding ethical standards

Animal research at the University of Stirling

As part of every research project we undertake, we ensure the highest possible care and ethical standards, promoting a culture of best practice.

NHS, Invasive or Clinical Research (NICR)

Governing any health/patient research requiring approval by the NHS Research Ethics Committee and/or taking place with NHS staff, patients or on NHS premises.

General University Ethics Panel (GUEP)

The GUEP considers most research proposals which do not involve animals, require approval by the NHS Research Ethics Committee or involve physically invasive procedures or intrusive interventions on human participants.

Epigeum Online Ethics Training

Research Ethics in Practice is a self-paced, practical guide exploring working with human participants, approvals, confidentiality, consent, data management, working ethically in challenging circumstances and working ethically in a global environment. The course will support an understanding of complex research situations, raise awareness of potential risks for harmful consequences from a variety of perspectives, and make suggestions on how to avoid ethical challenges and take appropriate actions.

How to access:

All undergraduate students and postgraduate taught can access the training resources via the internal student Ethics Review Manager webpage.

Postgraduate researchers and research active staff can access the resources via the appropriate IAS Canvas module.

Need ethical approval?

Access the forms you need if you're a member of University staff or student requiring ethical approval for your research.

Request ethical approval

Research governance

Find out how our structure promotes a culture of research integrity.

Dissertations

Every student dissertation should be considered for ethical implications.

Contact us

If you have a general question about our ethics policies and procedures, please get in touch.