Research Guidelines/Ethics Approval Forms for KOU Staff and Postgraduate/Undergraduate Students
1- Overview
Research governance is a process to manage research, ensuring that research carried out in the university is well-designed and conducted in compliance with relevant policies and procedures. This specifically applies to research on human and animal subjects in all areas of the humanities and social sciences. Koya University expects the highest standards of integrity to be achieved by its academic staff and researchers. These standards apply to all research conducted by teaching staff, researchers, and undergraduate or postgraduate students involved in the research process. The university promotes good and internationally recognized research practices, reinforcing integrity and rigor in research and creating a culture where standards and general principles of the code of practice are observed across the university. Research ethics guidelines aim to help researchers at Koya University conduct ethical and responsible research, particularly in conflict-affected regions. Research in such contexts presents unique risks and ethical challenges. These guidelines also ensure that all research respects human dignity, minimizes harm, and promotes justice and safety for all involved.
Note: you can also download the Ethics Forms in three different languages to apply your research application, from the following links:
Download English Form 2. Research Integrity
Researchers are required to be honest regarding their own actions in conducting research. This applies to the whole research process, including accuracy and rigor in using previous research, collecting and analyzing data, applying for funding, reporting and publishing findings, acknowledging the contributions of others and research students, and collaborations. All researchers are required to avoid plagiarism, fabrication, falsification of research findings, or any other actions that could be considered research misconduct. If research misconduct is suspected, the committee will stop the study.
3. Safety and Well-being
The physical and emotional safety and well-being of research participants should be taken s eriously and addressed clearly in the methods section. Research participants should not experience any discomfort, pain, fear, or harm to their physical or psychological well-being, losing their current job. In addition, the safety and well-being of researchers and relevant communities should also be prioritized at all levels. Research projects should not endanger lives, reputations, or relationships. It is equally important that no research projects should ask questions that retraumatize participants, reveal sensitive information, or provoke violence. Research participants must not be exposed to political risks, retaliation, or surveillance. Therefore, a risk assessment (the type of the risk should be declared) should be undertaken prior to research to identify and evaluate any potential risks to participants, researchers, or others involved in the research , especially in unstable environments. It is necessary that researchers avoid interviewing participants who may be in active danger. Researchers are therefore required to establish emergency contact procedures and travel protocols.
4. Cultural and Political Sensitivity
Researchers are encouraged to understand the historical and current context and values of the communities studied. Building trust between researchers, individuals, and local communities & decision makers are paramount. Researchers must avoid actions that could be seen as biased, provocative, or culturally insensitive. It is equally important that researchers understand local power dynamics, gender norms, religious sensitivities, and historical grievances. Moreover, researchers are encouraged to consult local advisors or community leaders to guide their approach, avoid alignment with any political or armed groups, and refrain from taking sides. It is also significant that female researchers are required for female participants (gender-matching) in conservative contexts.
5. Confidentiality and Anonymity
Confidentiality is crucial in conflict-affected zones, where misuse of information can lead to harassment, imprisonment, or harm. Researchers are required to anonymize all data related to participants in order to safeguard confidentiality. All personal data should be kept confidential and stored securely with appropriate coding. Access to electronically stored data must be restricted to researchers only, and files should be carefully protected (e.g., encrypted files, password-protected devices). Researchers should avoid recording names or identifiable features unless absolutely essential.
6. Accountability
Researchers are accountable in relation to research ethics to uphold ethical standards through responsible conduct, sound decisions, and transparent reporting. This involves being answerable for one’s actions, protecting participants, and maintaining public trust and data integrity. Accountability promotes excellence in research, strengthens ethical responsibility, and builds a culture of ongoing growth in science. As such, researchers are expected to report any unethical behavior or adverse events to the Ethics Committee. Accountability also extends to communities affected by research, requiring respect for social, cultural, and environmental contexts. Together, these responsibilities build trust and uphold ethical science.
7. Transparency
Researchers should practice transparency at every stage of the research process, including title of the study, problem statement, aim & objectives, study design, data collection, analysis, and reporting. Researchers are particularly required to be transparent with their research subjects. They must document methods clearly, disclose any conflicts of interest, and share data responsibly to enable verification and reproducibility. Transparency also requires acknowledging strengths, limitations, and risks, thereby safeguarding integrity. Researchers are encouraged to be open about how data will be used, stored, and published, and to share findings with communities in accessible formats (e.g., summaries in Kurdish or Arabic).
8. Vulnerable Populations
Researchers are expected to exercise sensitive ethical responsibility when working with vulnerable populations, such as children, individuals with impaired decision-making capacity, marginalized groups, undocumented immigrants and refugees, prisoners, people with disabilities, those with low income, people in dependent relationships, or pregnant women. Participants in conflict-affected environments who may be displaced, grieving, injured, or under psychological stress are also considered vulnerable populations. Researchers should ensure voluntary and informed consent, minimize risks, and provide additional protection to safeguard the rights and welfare of such participants. Research involving vulnerable groups should only proceed when it addresses questions of direct significance or potential benefit to them. Researchers are required to avoid exploiting vulnerability for their own academic gain. Children, displaced people, ex-combatants, and survivors of violence require extra protection. In the case of children as participants, parental consent must be obtained. Finally, researchers should refer those in need of mental health or support services by partnering with local NGOs.
9. Do No Harm and Trauma-Informed Approaches
Researchers must ensure that no aspect of their work causes harm to participants, communities, or researchers themselves. In conflict-affected settings, it is essential to avoid research practices that could re-traumatize individuals, provoke distress, or create new risks. Sensitive topics such as violence, displacement, or loss should only be explored when absolutely necessary, using trauma-informed approaches that prioritize participant well-being. Researchers must carefully balance the need for knowledge with the ethical responsibility to protect dignity, safety, and psychological health, always placing human welfare above research outcomes.
10. Risk Assessment and Field Safety
Researchers are required to conduct a comprehensive risk assessment before beginning any fieldwork, particularly in unstable or conflict-affected areas. Such assessments should evaluate potential risks to both participants and researchers, including political, security, and ethical concerns. Fieldwork must not be carried out in locations where the researcher’s presence may attract hostility, surveillance, or retaliation. Emergency protocols and communication procedures should be established in advance, with clear contingency plans. Ultimately, the safety of participants, researchers, and communities must take precedence over data collection and research goals at every stage of the research.
11. Benefit Sharing with Communities
Research should be designed in a way that not only advances academic knowledge but also provides meaningful benefits to the communities involved. Researchers are encouraged to share findings openly in accessible formats, including local languages such as Kurdish or Arabic, so communities can engage with the outcomes. Whenever possible, research should be structured to deliver tangible advantages such as knowledge exchange, skill-building, or advocacy tools. However, when participants or researchers are at risk, researchers must convince the community that, first, the value of the study outweighs the risk; second, the study cannot be conducted in any other way; and third, they will strictly follow the remaining ethical guidelines to ensure that those providing data are informed and treated appropriately.
12. Ongoing Ethical Reflection
Ethical responsibility does not end with research approval but continues throughout the research process. Researchers are expected to reflect regularly on the ethical dimensions of their work, particularly in rapidly changing contexts such as conflict-affected areas. If new risks, sensitivities, or dilemmas emerge, researchers must adapt their methods and practices accordingly while maintaining accountability to participants and communities. Any ethical concerns or adverse events should be reported immediately to the University’s Research Ethics Committee. Continuous self-awareness, transparency, and responsiveness to shifting conditions are necessary to uphold integrity and ensure ethical research practices.
13. Respect for Persons and Communities
Researchers are expected to demonstrate respect for persons and communities by recognizing individual autonomy, protecting those with limited decision-making capacity, and ensuring voluntary participation. They must engage communities, value local knowledge, and address potential impacts of the research. Respect also requires safeguarding dignity, privacy, and confidentiality, while ensuring that both individuals and communities benefit fairly from research outcomes. Every individual has the right to dignity, autonomy, and respect, and community engagement should be based on mutual trust and respect. It is equally essential that researchers respect participants’ beliefs, language, cultural practices, and values. Researchers must also involve local voices in shaping research priorities and processes where appropriate.
14. Conflict of Interest
Conflict of interest may arise when a researcher is in a superior position, has a personal relationship with one or more participants, or has a commercial interest in the outcome of the research. Researchers should identify, disclose, and minimize any potential conflicts of interest that could influence the design, conduct, or reporting of research. They should follow appropriate recruitment and selection procedures. They must also ensure that findings are presented in an open and transparent manner and made available to other researchers who do not have a personal or commercial interest in the study.
15. Training and Mentoring
Responsibility for ensuring that research students and other novice researchers understand good ethical research practices lies with all members of the research community, but especially with the Deanship of the Research Centers of the university. All researchers should undertake research training in areas such as research design, regular ethics approvals and consents, mentoring of novice researchers, confidentiality, data management, record-keeping, and data protection. This is particularly important to ensure that research students and junior colleagues understand and uphold research ethics. Effective mentoring builds a culture of ethical awareness and prepares future researchers to conduct their work with professionalism and respect for ethical standards.
16. Principal Investigators
Every research should be led by a chief investigator qualified to carry out and oversee the research process. The chief investigator is responsible throughout all stages of the research , ensuring that review processes have been reasonably completed and that the research adheres to the originality and approved design. The chief investigator and all co-authors are expected to follow the university’s code of practice for professional integrity and research conduct. The chief investigator is ultimately responsible for ethical conduct, research design, and management, protecting participants’ rights and well-being, and providing leadership to the research team in maintaining integrity, accountability, and transparency throughout the study.
17. Publication Practice and Rights to Ownership
All co-authors and contributors should agree on the order of authorship for publications resulting from the work prior to submission. Research results must be published in appropriate forms such as journal articles in refereed journals, authored books, or book chapters. It is highly recommended that researchers make efforts to disseminate their findings as widely as possible to both academic and non-academic communities through presentations, dialogues, and discussions where appropriate. Where research has involved human subjects, they should be informed of study outcomes and thanked for their voluntary participation. Other forms of contribution should also be properly acknowledged.
18. Informed Consent
Researchers are required to obtain informed consent—written whenever possible, or oral when appropriate—from participants prior to their involvement in any research , and it must be freely given. Researchers should conduct investigations or interventions only with valid informed consent. Consent should be based on clear, accurate, and accessible information regarding the research purpose, procedures, potential risks, mitigation, benefits, confidentiality, and the right to withdraw without penalty. Participants also should be informed of any risks that might be encountered during the study or research. Whether written or oral, consent ensures that participation is voluntary, documented, and grounded in respect for autonomy and dignity. Researchers should use plain, non-technical language in the participant’s native language (e.g., Kurdish or Arabic). If necessary, a contact number should be included in the consent form to allow participants to ask questions regarding their concerns or the research procedures.
19. Ethical Approval Process for Research Involving Human Participants
All research involving human subjects, samples, or data must obtain approval from Koya University’s Research Ethics Committee (REC) prior to starting fieldwork or data collection. Research requiring ethical approval must not commence without it. Submissions should include: ● Complete research proposal ● Research Ethics Form ● Informed Consent Form ● Participant information ● Data collection tools/instruments
Contact
For guidance, application forms, or ethical review submissions, please contact:
Koya University Research Ethics Committee