The Research Ethics Committee at the University of Bayreuth
The University of Bayreuth's Research Ethics Committee assesses ethical aspects of research on animals and human beings carried out at the University of Bayreuth.
Furthermore, the Research Ethics Committee is available to lecturers and researchers for questions regarding the handling of security-relevant research findings.
The committee supports researchers in this process by way of focused advising. The members of the Research Ethics Committee carry out their duties on a volunteer basis for the University of Bayreuth.
National or international compliance aspects that go beyond ethical aspects, including legal issues, are not addressed by the Research Ethics Committee.
Furthermore, in the case of clinical studies or in the context of the development of medical devices, the University of Bayreuth’s Research Ethics Committee may not be the right point of contact. It could also be the case that the opinion of the Research Ethics Committee does not meet the legal formal requirements in this area.
Members of the Committee The Research Ethics Committee is headed by Prof. Dr. Dr. Klaus Nagelsas Chairperson. The Deputy Chairperson is Prof. Dr. Kai Purnhagen. The other committee members are:
Prof. Dr. Carsten Bäcker
Prof. Dr. Karin Birkner
Prof. Dr. Ruth Freitag
Prof. Dr. Olivier Roy
Prof. Dr. Benedikt Westermann
The responsibilities of the committee are set out in the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of the University of Bayreuth’s Research Ethics Committee dated 20 March 2017 as amended.
For the request, the current request form must always be used as a PDF or as a Word document.
In addition to the completed and signed request form, a generally comprehensible project description or summary (max. 2 pages) must be submitted with regard to the ethical relevance to be assessed from the applicant's point of view.
In addition, the information provided to the test persons must be included. No other documents are to be submitted in the first instance. However, they may be requested should the members of the Research Ethics Committee deem it necessary.
The request must be submitted in German or English to the University Governing Board.
The request must be submitted in paper form and/or digitally as a PDF (as one file) with the project summary (please do not forget to sign it). Also, please keep the file size as small as possible.
The request shall be accompanied by a statement disclosing any similar requests already submitted elsewhere.
If the same request has been submitted to another ethics committee or has been rejected, the Committee may refuse to consider the request.
The decision as to whether an ethics vote is required is generally the responsibility of the individual who is responsible for the project. The Research Ethics Committee cannot make a statement on this without the submission of a formally submitted request and the project description. General information on the cases in which a request for evaluation of a research project by the Research Ethics Committee may be required can be found here in German.
Project summary of up to 4 pages with regard to the ethical relevance to be assessed from the applicant's point of view
Information provided to the test persons
If requested by the Research Ethics Committee:
Study protocol (protocol, according to the state of the art in German): Principles and rationale of the study, hypothesis and objectives, study population, study procedure and methods, risks and side effects, study-related interventions, outcome criteria, statistical considerations such as case number estimation, privacy, insurance (if applicable), bibliography
Information provided to the test persons as well as consent form (in the case of persons incapable of giving consent, by the legal representative; in the case of minors capable of giving consent, additionally corresponding child-friendly information and consent form of the child) with letterhead of the institution, in addition data protection passage and data protection law consent
Copy of insurance policy or justification why insurance is deemed unnecessary
Written consent of the responsible head of the institute or scientific institution
Presentation of the questionnaires, if applicable
Any member of the University of Bayreuth is entitled to submit a request.
The applicant is the researcher who carries out the research project on site and who is direct responsible for the test persons.
In the case of corresponding scientific qualification work, including doctoral projects,
the supervisor must submit a request for the planned project and also sign it.
Requests for the evaluation of research projects by the Research Ethics Committee must be submitted in good time before the start of the project. Late applications must be justified accordingly.
Further information on mandatory guidelines and legal regulations for researchers
