The Research Ethics Council

The Research Ethics Council (Forskningsetiska rådet) works with both research ethics and researcher integrity for both students and researchers.

The Research Ethics Council (forskningsetiska rådet or FER) at Dalarna University reviews degree projects at the first-cycle and second-cycle levels to ensure that they follow ethically sound practices.

FER is tasked with providing education and information on issues of ethics with relevance to research and education. FER gives recommendations on degree projects at the first- and second-cycle levels that involve human beings or human organs that come to the attention of FER after a research ethics application.

FER also assists with evaluations of research projects that fall outside laws on ethical vetting (Etikprövningslagen) but that require ethical review.

FER focuses on the first- and second-cycle levels. For doctoral students and researchers, the Act concerning the Ethical Review of Research Involving Humans (Lagen om etikprövning av forskning som avser människor, 2003:460 applies, whereby research ethics applications are made to the national ethical authority concerning where the research will be conducted. In Sweden, this is the Swedish Ethical Review Authority (Etikprövningsmyndigheten or EPM). FER answers questions concerning applications to EPM, but a full preview of such applications is not part of the remit of FER.

Ethical reviews by the Swedish Ethical Review Authority are regulated by Swedish legislation and limited to data collection and processing carried out in Sweden; FER applies the same limitation.

Students and Researchers

When you write an academic paper that involves people, it is important that you do so in an ethically sound manner. There are a number of points that you, as a student, need to consider before, during, and after the completion of your paper. Read what these are in the document Ethical Guidelines for Research Theses and Essays at Dalarna University (pdf).

Use this form for student projects that are about people: Ethics self-assessment form (pdf). It will help you determine if you need to make an ethics application or not.

You may need to ask people if they are willing to participate in your study. It is important that you inform them about your study before asking. Use this document to formulate your information: Mall för informationsbrev (pdf, in Swedish).

If you need to have your project reviewed for research ethics, submit an application to FER.

Processing Personal Data

Many research projects, graduate theses, and reports involve the processing of personal data. All such processing must follow the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). More information, advice, and guidelines about how to work with this at Dalarna University can be found in our web-guide:

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR): Introduction (in Swedish)

For Students:

For Researchers and Doctoral Students:

Also see Etikprövningsmyndigheten

Checklist for Applications to FER

Check that you have carried out the following tasks before you send your application to FER (note that you must complete the application form in Swedish):

  • Ethics self-assessment
  • The application has been signed by all relevant persons (including supervisors)
  • An application about the processing of personal data in accordance with GDPR has been made
  • Complete project description with relevant appendices (for example, interview guide, questionnaire)
  • Information to potential study participants in accordance with the FER information template
  • Separate informed consent form(s)

Researcher Integrity

The Role of FER

FER will prevent and discourage research misconduct in information and seminars. FER also processes reports of academic misconduct.

Falling under FER's area of responsibility in terms of researcher integrity are research projects headed by Dalarna University employees.

See CODEX - Rules and Guidelines for Research

Employees at Dalarna University

The document Administrative Procedures in the Event of Research Misconduct and Deviations from Good Research Practice (in English from page 8) (pdf) explains how Dalarna University deals with research misconduct.

There are several considerations that researchers need to be aware of that make for good research practice. These are specified in, for example, the publication Good Research Practice by the Swedish Research Council. Chapter 8 is specifically about research misconduct.

Research material must be documented and archived so that projects can be reviewed and reports of research misconduct can be dealt with. Dalarna University has certain guidelines for what type of material needs to be documented and archived: see Regler för dokumentation och arkivering av forskningsmaterial (pdf, in Swedish).

See also:

The Work of the Council

Times for Meetings

Each semester, FER meets four times. Research ethics applications need to be submitted at the latest eight days ahead of a meeting date. 

Meeting Dates  Deadline for Submission of Application
2023  
November 28 November 20
December 12 December 4
2024  
February 6 January 29
March 5 February 26
April 9 April 2
May 15 May 6
June 12 June 4
September 10 September 2
October 15 October 2
November 12 November 4
December 10 December 2

FER Members

  • Chairperson: Elena Tseli
  • Acting Chairperson: Anna Cristina Åberg
  • Secretary: Kerstin Göras
  • Members, Humanities/Social Studies: David Gray and Roger Melin (substitute)
  • Members, Ethics: Anna Cristina Åberg and Peter Nilsson (substitute)
  • Members, Health Sciences/Medical Sciences: Elena Zottelle Tseli and Vacant (substitute)
  • Members, Sciences/Technology: Jerker Westin and Roger Nyberg (substitute)
  • Student Representatives: Maria Taxell Stoltz and Anton Bergström (substitute) Student Union

Lunch Seminar

Watch recordings from the Research Ethics Council lunch seminars.

Management of Sensitive Research Data

Vilmantas Giedraitis, PhD.

PowerPoint presentation "Management of sensitive research data" (pdf)

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