Responsible Conduct of Research
Policies relating to the conduct of research
This section provides detailed information in regards to the various policies that play a role in the conduct of research.
Ethics certification
Research projects that involve humans must be approved by a Research Ethics Board (REB) before they can begin their research.
It is the responsibility of the professor as researcher, as thesis supervisor and as lecturer to ascertain whether or not a project requires an ethics review. This can be determined by calling the Protocol Officer for Ethics in Research. For more information please see the Ethics web site.
For more information, please click here.
Health and Safety in Research
The Health and Safety standards imposed by the University of Ottawa on students and staff exist to facilitate compliance with the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act and its regulations.
Please click here to be linked to important information on Health and Safety in research.
Environmental Safety
Environmental Safety is an important part of many research projects. The University has established monitoring programs for many environmental issues such as environmental sampling and monitoring as well as health and safety inspections.
Please click here to be linked to important information on Environmental Safety.
Animal Care
The University of Ottawa is committed to ensuring that the use of animals in research and 2 in teaching conforms to the most rigorous ethical standards that are compatible with the goals of science. Also, it is insistent upon maintaining very high standards for the facilities which support research and teaching involving laboratory animals. The standards for animal care and use conform with or exceed those outlined in the Canadian Council on Animal Care's (CCAC) Guide to the Care and Use of Experimental Animals.
For more information, please consult the Animal Care Web Site.
GUIDELINES FOR THE ETHICAL CONDUCT OF RESEARCH and PROCEDURES FOR INVESTIGATING MISCONDUCT
The university community has always recognized the necessity for maintaining the highest ethical standards in the conduct of research. However, the emerging belief that universities are responsible for the guidance and conduct of their faculty and staff has prompted the University of Ottawa to develop guidelines setting out general principles that underlie the ethical conduct of research. This is viewed as a preventive measure which should also help to ensure the reliability and high quality of research.
Allegations of misconduct in research, though rare, must be dealt with effectively. Formal procedures are essential to determining how such allegations should be handled and also to protecting the rights of individuals, the University and any outside funding agency.
For more information, please consult http://www.grad.uottawa.ca/Default.aspx?tabid=1385
Conflict of Interest and Conflict of Commitment policies
The University of Ottawa is reviewing its Conflict of Interest (COI) and Conflict of Commitment (COC) Policies.
Here are the objectives of reviewing the COI/COC Policies:
- Promoting public confidence in research and the research process;
- Providing guidance for managing potential conflicts;
- Protecting institutions, researchers, and research; and
- Defining roles.
For more information, please click here.
Memorandum of Understanding on the Roles and Responsibilities in the Management of Federal Grants and Awards (MOU)
NSERC, CIHR and SSHRC in consultation with other institutions who administer funds for federally funded projects have collaborated and created this Memorandum which acts as a tangible agreement declaring shared accountability for funds administered. It describes the basic requirements for institutions to be eligibility to administer agency funding.
For more information, please click here.
Intellectual Property
Ownership of intellectual property developed at the University of Ottawa is governed by Policy No. 29 - "Patents" and by Article thirty-five of the Collective Agreement between the University and the Association of Professors of the University of Ottawa. The key provisions are described below:
Inventions
The University of Ottawa holds the rights to all inventions, whether or not covered by a patent application or patent, made by its faculty, students or staff using University of Ottawa facilities or under financial support provided by the University of Ottawa or by third party funding administered through the University of Ottawa. The University of Ottawa has no claim on inventions made without the use of the University of Ottawa's facilities, support personnel or services and on an individual's own time. For more details please see Policy No. 29.
Copyrights
Works prepared within the scope of employment, also called "works for hire", generally belong to the employer. The general rule at the University of Ottawa is that the University owns all copyrights to work created by University of Ottawa employees in the scope of their employment. However, in keeping with academic tradition and the collective agreement between the University of Ottawa and the Association of Professors of the University of Ottawa, the University generally grants ownership of copyrights of original works resulting from faculty members' or students' own efforts to the creator(s).
Software
Although software is generally covered by copyrights and treated as belonging to the authors, the nature of the development process for software raises a number of complex issues in dealing with its ownership and disposition. It is often difficult to attribute ownership of software because its development may involve contributions from more than one party and because different kinds of proprietary rights may exist in the final product. For example, development of the algorithm on which the software is based and the actual writing of the code both represent valid contributions to the end product but may have been performed by different people. In cases where software does not belong to the University, the authors and other contributors must determine ownership amongst themselves.
If software developed using University resources is commercially exploited, the University may be entitled to recover a portion of the costs incurred in the development of the software. Such matters are negotiated between the author(s) and the Office of Research Management Services.
Intellectual Property Obligations to External Research Sponsors
Of particular interest is intellectual property developed by University of Ottawa faculty members, students and staff under research funding provided by external sponsors such as granting agencies or under contracts with government agencies or private sector organizations. Most research conducted at the University is funded through such mechanisms, some of which may require that intellectual property be owned by the research sponsor or owned by the University of Ottawa with certain licenses granted to the research sponsor. In such cases, ownership of all works produced by faculty and students (including progress, final and technical reports and software, etc.) under externally sponsored research agreements vests with the University or the research sponsor, to the extent required to meet the University's and the individuals' obligations to the external research sponsor.
For further information, please refer to Policy No. 29 of the Manual of Policies and Procedures of the University of Ottawa, as well as the Technology Transfer and Business Enterprise.
Laboratory and Office Space
Allocation of laboratory and office space is the responsibility of the Dean of each Faculty. Researchers must ensure that they have the facilities needed to conduct a project before applying for research funding for that project. Researchers must explicitly inform their Deans of any additional requirements, and obtain the Dean's approval, before applying for projects needing additional laboratory and/or office space.
Ownership of Equipment
Unless there are contractual obligations or granting agency regulations are to the contrary, equipment, including computers, purchased with research funds administered by the University of Ottawa belongs to the University of Ottawa.
Overhead/Indirect Costs
Overhead, or indirect costs, must be included in the budgets for all contracts and contract proposals. Some granting agencies also allow a provision for overhead in their grants and overheads should be included in funding applications if eligible. The University's overhead rate is based on the amounts negotiated between the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC) and the Department of Supply and Services (DSS). For more details, contact TTBE at 562-5842.
