ETHICS IN RESEARCH AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LJUBLJANA

The Senate of the University of Ljubljana, at its 12th session on 25 November 2014, adopted CODE OF ETHICS FOR RESEARCHERS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LJUBLJANA

The University of Ljubljana adopted the Code of Ethics in order to provide ethical behavior standards to guide teachers, researchers and doctoral students when ethical issues arise. All decisions in regard to their academic research work (irrespective of the source of funding) require compliance with the ethical principles of  the UL as adopted in the Code of Ethics of the UL, the Code of Ethics for researchers at the UL and the Code of Ethics for researchers in the EU.

Each individual shall act responsibly, identify possible ethical issues and gain instructions from his superiors (a mentor, a research project supervisor, the chair or vice dean for research work) or acceptance from the ethics committee of their faculty (regularly appointed body or ad hoc). The Code of Ethics for researchers at the UL discusses general ethical issues, which arise in all research activities. Each researcher shall abide by the ethical standards compliant with his specific field of research (e.g. medicine, social work, sociological studies, animal testing work, …).

The University has also committed itself to raising the researchers' and students' awareness of research ethics. At its ninth session of 16 April 2015, the University of Ljubljana Research and Development Committee adopted the Framework programme of regularly briefing researchers on the University of Ljubljana’s values and ethical principles in research and the code of ethics of the professional or research field they are involved or train in. 

The University of Ljubljana faculties and academies incorporate the Framework programme into their own work programmes, ensuring that researchers and teaching staff are briefed on the related ethical principles under this programme.

Code of ethics for researchers

Statement of commitment to respect UL codes of ethics

Framework programme of regularly briefing researchers on UL values and ethical principles in research and the code of ethics of the professional or research field they are involved or train in.pdf

 

The UL researchers should also be aquanted with the European code of research integrity.

"ENRIO Handbook on Whistleblower Protection in Research: https://zenodo.org/record/8192478

 

HANDLING RESEARCH MISCONDUCT

Teachers, researchers and students of the University of Ljubljana  community have a responsibility to foster an environment which promotes intellectual honesty and integrity, and which does not tolerate misconduct in any aspect of research or scholarly endeavor.

The reports on research misonduct are treated by a Commission for Ethical Questions according to the following internal rules: Regulations of the University Ethical Issues Committee 

The allegations of tentative research misconduct should be addressed to the Committee of ethical questions and sent to the following contact person: Ms. Maša Hiti, mail:

 

GUIDELINES FOR ETHICAL CONDUCT IN RESEARCH  INVOLVING PEOPLE

Guidelines for ethical conduct in research involving people

Informed consent

Informed consent: instructions for preparation

 Link: University of Ljubljana Human Research Ethics Committee - University of Ljubljana (uni-lj.si)

 

 MANAGEMENT OF ETHICAL ASPECTS IN HORIZON 2020  

Guidance on Ethical Aspects in Horizon 2020 - from the Application to the Grant Agreement: this document was developed by  a special working group for project management of  "Bundesarbeitskreis der EU-Referent/innen an Hochschulen in Deutschland" (BAK). Original document in German language can be found at http://www.uni-giessen.de/bak/LeitfadenETHIKinH2020.pdf.

 

MANAGEMENT OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST

All UL employees are obliged to respect the Rules on Avoidance of Conflict of Interest and Work Ourside UL (PINI UL). PINI UL Rules define the concepts of financial interest, conflict of interest, persons to whom the provisions of the Rules apply, and conduct regarding the position of individuals who may have a conflict of interest (FCOI) or whose position represents an apparent conflict of interest.

  Rules on Avoidance of Conflict of Interest and Work Outside UL (PINI UL)

When involved in the research projects, funded by the US Public Health Service (PHS), UL employees must respect also a special Policy on the management of financial conflict of interest in research at the University of Ljubljana funded by the Public Health Services of the United States of America (PUFNIR UL) and their responsibility to disclose their significant financial interest related to those research projects. More information can be found here: Management of FCOI in USA projects - University of Ljubljana (uni-lj.si)

 

COMMITTEES FOR ETHICS IN RESEARCH

Besides ethics committees at some UL faculties there exist some ethics committees on the national level (e.g. the National Medical Ethics Committee of the RS, Administration of the RS for Food Safety, Veterinary Sector and Plant Protection) that discusses the ethical issues of the relevant field of research, and if needed the researcher shall obtain the opinion from the relevant body or organization.

 

At national level:

Medicine:

RS National Medical Ethics Committee NMEC

Komisija Republike Slovenije za medicinsko etiko | GOV.SI

is responsible for ethical assessment of biomedical research on humans, that are funded by public sources and for approvement of  all multicentric and multinational research of this kind.
 

Veterinary medicine:

Ministry of agriculture, forestry and food. Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Food Safety, Veterinary Sector and Plant Protection – Ethical committee for the experiments on animals

 http://www.uvhvvr.gov.si/si/delovna_podrocja/dobrobit_zivali/zascita_zivali_v_poskusih/

If the research activities are conducted on live animals in scientific experiments or on tissues of animals sacrified for the sake of research work, the permission of the Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Food Safety, Veterinary Sector and Plant Protection (UVHVVR) is necessary. The application for the permission of the experiment is processed by the UVHVVR according to the  assessment of the Ethical Committee.

 

At University level:

Committee for ethical issues

Committee for ethical issues on its own initiative perceives and accepts into consideration the proposals of ethically dubious practices and violations of the principles of scientific and artistic work.

 

 Human Research Ethics committee

Human Research Ethics committee was established in order to ensure optimal protection of the interests and well-being of participants in the research work within the University of Ljubljana. The Commitee shall assess the ethical suitability of research project proposals when requested by (co)contractors or (co)authors of the research.

 Link: University of Ljubljana Human Research Ethics Committee - University of Ljubljana (uni-lj.si)

 

At  UL member faculties:

Ethical committee at the Faculty of Social Work: https://www.fsd.uni-lj.si/fakulteta/dokumenti/pravila_pravilniki/eticni-kodeksi/
 The Ethics Committee at the Faculty assesses whether research follows ethical rules and standards. The assessment is particulary relevant for research that includes data users as well as toher stakeholders in the field of social work, social security and other related fields.

 

Faculty of Sport – Ethical committee on the field of sport http://www.fakultetazasport.si/o_fakulteti/organizacijske_enote/2009041609282305/2009041611345282/

  • provides opinion regarding the research activities or projects, that prejudice the integrity of human beings in the filed of sport and physical culture;
  • deals with the issues of data collection,  storage and transmission;
  • considers and provides decisions on ethical questions from the point of view of teaching methods and training.

Faculty of Arts – Ethical Committee

http://etika.ff.uni-lj.si/

deals with ethical assessments of research activities and projects that involve working with people using the methods of humanistic and social sciences as well as noninvasive phsyhofiziological and nevrofiziological instruments and methods.
 

Ethical committee of the Faculty of Education:

http://www.pef.uni-lj.si/fileadmin/Datoteke/Referat/Komisija_za_etiko/Pravilnik_etika_PeF_03_07_2014_final.pdf

deals with ethical assessments of research activities and projects that involve working with people using the methods of humanistic and social sciences in the following scientific fileds: educational sciences, teachers education, social pedagogy, special and rehabilitation pedagogy, speach and language therapy, education for visually impaired, pedagogy of specific learning difficulties, supervision and personal organisation consulting, cognitive sciences and other related scientific domaines.

 

Committee for Ethics in Research at the Faculty of Social Sciences (CER FSS)

Committee for Ethics in Research at the Faculty of Social Sciences (CER FSS):

·         examines the applications for ethical assessment of research tasks and projects undertaken at the Faculty of Social Sciences  involving research work that interferes with the privacy of people or engages in research involving people.

·         The Committee discusses the applications of teachers, researchers and research associates employed at FSS, and students upon the proposal of a mentor. The Committee gives opinion on proposals of research projects that involve research work with people, using methods of humanities and social sciences.

 

Contact

Cabinet

tel. int.

Function

Metka Stare

metka.stare@guest.arnes.si

 

B 110

01-5805-194

President

Valentina Hlebec

valentina.hlebec@fdv.uni-lj.si

C 211

01-5805-248

Vice president

 

Committee for Ethics in Research at the School of Economics and Business University of Ljubljana

Committee for Ethics in Research at the School of Economics and Business University of Ljubljana is responsible for the evaluation of the research ethics in research project of faculty members, researchers and research associates empoley at School of Economics and Business. The commitee gives opinion on proposals of research projects that involve research work with human subjects, and on projects which utilize personal data collection.