Ethics & data protection
Ethics in research data management
The ethical handling of research data, data protection and security challenges as well as issues of research integrity are closely linked to the Open Science Strategy. This aims to promote transparency, the reuse of research data and knowledge transfer.
The data stewards in the Open Science team support researchers at the University of Bern and Inselspital by providing training on a regular basis and on request. Our consultations cover the areas of collection, reuse, processing, storage, exchange and publication of research data, taking into account good scientific practice, legal requirements, requirements of research funders and ethical standards in the field of Open Science.
Data protection
Data protection
Data Protection Authority of the Canton of Bern (DSA)
Data Protection Act of the Canton of Bern (KDSG)
Data protection in the lT area of the University of Bern
Legal Services of the University of Bern (data protection, legal issues) E-Mail
Unitectra supports researchers at the University of Bern in the commercialisation of research results into new products and services (patents, licences), in the negotiation of research contracts and in the establishment of spin-off companies E-Mail
Data protection and research in general: FDPIC (aimed at federal bodies and private individuals, here for general information. Researchers at the University of Bern must normally comply with the Cantonal Data Protection Act).
European General Data Protection Regulation (DSGVO EU or GDPR). Introductory Ordinance to the EU Data Protection Directive 2016/680 on the protection of personal data (Introductory Ordinance to the EU Data Protection Directive, EV EDS) of the Canton of Bern.
The data protection laws of some countries are recognised as equivalent to those of Switzerland: See this website.
Personal data
Personal data
Personal data is information about specific or identifiable natural persons or legal entities. The Data Protection Act of the Canton of Bern (KDSG) serves to protect individuals from improper data processing by the authorities.
If you collect, analyse or otherwise process personal data in your research project with the help of IT applications (e.g. self-programmed apps, but also applications such as Qualtrics or RedCap), it may be necessary to draw up a concept for handling information security and data protection (ISDS).
Such a concept serves to clarify the requirements and existing or to be developed technical solutions in this area and, if necessary, as a basis for an inspection by the cantonal data protection authorities. The legal basis for this is the data protection legislation of the Canton of Berne, in particular the Data Protection Act (KDSG), Art. 17a. The ‘Directives on data protection in the IT area of the University of Bern’ must be followed.
For information and initial advice on legal matters, please contact the Legal Services of the University of Bern; for IT security matters and to complete the relevant forms, please contact the IT Services. IT security at the University of Bern: Awareness training of the ID.
Health-related data
Health-related data
Research projects involving humans that fall under the Human Research Act (HRA) must be reviewed by ethics committees (e.g. Animal Experiment Ethics SAMS or Cantonal Ethics Committee (KEK)). Please note that such a review can take approx. 60-90 days. For further information on the procedure, process and management of such projects, please visit the portal on human research in Switzerland.
Research projects that do not fall under the Human Research Act can be approved by the Ethics Committees of the University of Bern Phil.-hum., Phil.-hist., WISO and Animal Welfare Office UniBE.
For information on research that falls under the Human Research Act, please refer to the tab "Ethics - Research with humans". Information on research involving animals can be found under the tab "Ethics - Research with animals". Information on work with genetic resources or the associated traditional knowledge can be found under the tab "Ethics - Research with genetic resources" (research compliance and good scientific practice).
Read more via forschungsdaten.info.