Legal requirements and research ethics

Find information on how ethical approvals, the handling of sensitive data (e.g., GDPR), and agreements on use and sharing, affect the collection, publication, and reuse of your data.  

Legal requirements and ethical considerations are a central part of responsible research practices.

When working with research data, it is not only about ensuring quality and accessibility but also about taking responsibility for the people, organizations, or materials from which the data originate. This includes addressing ethical approvals when your research involves humans or animals, and paying particular attention to the handling of sensitive data, such as personal information.

In addition, it is important to be aware of intellectual property rights, licenses, and agreements that determine how research data and associated software may be used, shared, and published.

Ethical aspects concern, among other things, how we treat other people and living beings. Ethical considerations are relevant to how you can conduct your research as well as to the sharing and publication of data, and they should be in place before you begin your data collection.

As a researcher, you are responsible for identifying and addressing issues related to ethical considerations and ethical approvals in connection with your research project.

Personal data is a type of data that requires special attention and protection.

Listed below are some general procedures for personal data that you must be aware of if you handle personal data in your research project:

  • Use appropriate security measures to protect data during processing such as technical and organizational measures, data minimization, pseudonymization and anonymization.
  • All relevant information about processing and safety measures must be documented.Keep data only until the purpose is fulfilled.
  • Limit access to personal data to relevant individuals, restrict the portion of data they can access, and limit when they can access it.
  • Clarify who is responsible for what, such as moving or deleting data.
  • Remember the listing requirement, i.e. a list of processing activities and a checklist must be completed.

Get more information about GDPR at DTU

Relevant laws, regulations, and agreements define the use, sharing, and publication of research data. Agreements on use and sharing may be determined by the type and form of research data you are working with.

Please consult DTU's office Legal and Tech Transfer before entering into agreements regarding the use and sharing of data.

For instance, if you work with already published data obtained from a database, repository, or registry, the use is likely subject to a 'Term of Use' and a license that defines how the data may be used, modified, and disseminated.

Another example is if commercial partners are involved in your research project. In such cases, 'non-disclosure agreements' (NDAs) must often be signed to protect any patents on innovations.

Collaboration agreements and contracts with partners typically include provisions that define how you may use and publish research data. Therefore, be attentive to obtaining approvals from partners before publishing the research data from the project.

Software & code

Unlike research data, software and code are protected by copyright. The rights to software and code developed by employees in the course of their employment belong to DTU. Therefore, it is essential that rights regarding software and code be managed in accordance with DTU's guidelines in this area.

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Datamanagement DTU Library

Research integrity

Good practice in research data is part of DTU’s Code of Research Integrity.

In addition to authorship, collaboration, and conflicts of interest, you should also be aware of specific regulations, for example if you are working with dual-use technologies or genetic resources (i.e. Nagoya Protocol).

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