PHI450 Skatteforsk PhD Course – Topics in Research Ethics, Methods, and GDPR Compliance

This course is designed as a seminar series, providing an in-depth understanding of research ethics and methodology across disciplines. The course aims to foster a culture of ethical awareness, responsible data management, and interdisciplinary collaboration. The curriculum includes both foundational and practical aspects of research ethics, emphasizing contemporary challenges and best practices in research data handling. Seminars are given by experts in the field, sharing from their own experiences in how to navigate complex ethical, security, and legal issues in order to pursue their research goals. The aim is to provide students and lecturers with networks, to interact scholars across institutions and countries, and to provide deeper awareness and competence in these complex issues within the research community.

Key topics covered include:

• Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIA): What they are, when they are required, and how to write one.
• General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR): Ethical and legal obligations for researchers.
• Research transparency and replication packages: How to integrate them from the start of a project.
• Data security and minimization principles.
• Ethical challenges in using leaked data for research.
• Applying for research funding with ethical considerations.
• What constitutes anonymous data.
• Practical strategies for remote research collaboration.
• Consistent and ethical data cleaning practices.
• Challenges in using administrative register data.
• Ethical concerns in linking and utilizing register data.
• Organizing inter-institutional research collaborations.
• Establishing collaborations with public sector institutions while minimizing risks of project termination.

Additionally, the course will cover emerging ethical topics and invite international guest lecturers to present and discuss current issues in research ethics.

Knowledge: The candidate:

• Understands the ethical and methodological challenges in research across disciplines.
• Is familiar with legal and ethical frameworks, including GDPR, DPIA, and national and international research ethics guidelines.
• Recognizes barriers to interdisciplinary collaboration and how to navigate them.
• Knows best practices for data management, security, and transparency in research.
• Understands ethical concerns in working with sensitive data sources, including administrative registers and leaked datasets.

Skills: The candidate:

• Can identify ethical dilemmas in research and apply appropriate guidelines and solutions.
• Can develop research plans with built-in ethical considerations, ensuring compliance with data security and transparency standards.
• Is proficient in preparing and managing research data in a replicable and ethically sound manner.
• Can communicate ethical challenges effectively in an interdisciplinary research environment.

Generic competencies: The candidate:

• Can critically assess ethical and methodological issues in their research field.
• Demonstrates ethical awareness and responsibility in all stages of research.
• Engages in constructive interdisciplinary collaboration while adhering to ethical and legal frameworks.
• Is equipped to contribute to ethics committees and research governance structures within their institution.