Research Ethics and Equality Diversity and Inclusion

This project was motivated by the challenges faced by The University of Sheffield (TUoS) Research Ethics Committee in recognising, operationalising and providing guidance within our Research Ethics Policy on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I). The aim of the project was to explore the most appropriate way of advising on and addressing issues of ED&I in our research ethics policy. The study involved semi-structured interviews, conducted and recorded online with participants from research and academic backgrounds, most from other HE institutions. We deliberately involved early career researchers and postgraduate students as participants. The project was funded by the University of Sheffield Research England as part of an internal competitive tender.

This project has provided a context in which to provide additional resources on ED&I and ethical research. We are not adding a question into our ethics application on ED&I but the findings reinforce the importance of reinforcing existing good research practice involving participants from underrepresented groups to support a culture in which this should be the expectation, rather than an explicit goal to be addressed through the research ethics committee.

UoS research ethics approval 53174