Online Ethics Training

Ethical Research

Ethical Research is split into two courses, Becoming an Ethical Researcher, and Research Ethics in Practice. Developed by international higher education professionals, these courses will enable you to develop a critical understanding of the theoretical and practical implications of researching ethically. The first course takes a behavioural approach to learning about research ethics, covering ethical values, approaches to ethical decision-making and exploring ethical challenges across a range of disciplines. The second course covers the practical application of ethics during a research project, including working with human participants, data management, ethics approvals and working ethically in a global environment.

Becoming an Ethical Researcher

This course consists of 4 modules:

• Ethical decision-making
• Underpinning values of ethical research
• Ethical concerns associated with different forms of research
• Ethical concerns associated with different research methods

Research Ethics in Practice

This course consists of 4 modules:

• Working with human participants
• Understanding research ethics approval
• Working ethically in challenging circumstances
• Working ethically in a global environment

Research Integrity

Research Integrity is an online learning programme designed to support new researchers with good research conduct. Starting with an overview of key responsibilities in the first module, the course goes on to explore the fundamentals of planning, managing, recording and publishing research. The last module covers the wider responsibilities that researchers assume as they develop their careers, from taking on different roles to communicating their findings to the public. These modules should:

• Enable you to conduct research of the highest quality and increase confidence in your published works.
•  Help you meet the criteria for many key funding bodies.
• Update you on best practices in responsible research behaviour and so improve your career prospects.

Using Epigeum

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How to Register

Click here to register

IMPORTANT TO NOTE – When you are filling out the registration form you must use an email address ending with the following domain: @northumbria.ac.uk

Please enter the following token in the relevant field of the registration form:

You will be sent an account activation email to the email address you entered during registration. Please click on the link in the activation email to complete registration and activate your account. If you do not receive the email in your inbox, please check your SPAM/junk mail. You can also resend the activation email via this link.

Once you have activated your account, you can then log in using your chosen username and password combination. You will be shown the Epigeum Research Integrity (second edition) and Ethical Research programmes in the My Courses screen (if you did not enter the token during registration, or wish to enter a second token, please use the Enter Token button in the user menu).

Core Academic Staff

All core academic staff must complete the mandatory Ethics Training module (incorporating Ethics Reviewer training from January 2020) every three years.

The training course is available on the e-Learning Gateway on the Staff Portal.

Non-Core Academic Staff and other staff types including Associate Lecturers, Collaborative Ventures Staff, Technicians, Demonstrators etc.

If your role requires you to be involved in the ethical approval process but you do not have access to the ethics training module on the e-Learning Gateway, you should have been provided with an Essential Information Booklet by Human Resources when you joined Northumbria. You should be able to access this here for UK colleagues and here for international colleagues. Alternatively, please contact Human Resources using Ask HR.

Postgraduate Research Students

All postgraduate research students must complete Ethics Training before they commence their research. Details of how to complete your ethics training can be found under 'Using Epigeum', above. Ethics Training is one of four mandatory sessions you must complete throughout your PGR programme (the others being your Faculty Induction, Annual Progression - Preparing for the Panel, and Preparing for the Viva). Details of all PGR training can be found here.