Research Ethics

The University of Alberta serves the community by the dissemination of knowledge through teaching and the discovery of knowledge through research. As one of Canada's largest research-intensive universities, the University of Alberta is committed to excellence in research based on the highest national and international standards, and to actively promoting the important role of research in teaching.

The University is accountable for the work carried out by faculty, staff and students under its auspices. In addition to personal, institutional, scholarly or professional expectations, institutions also have to meet external accountabilities. The University is obligated to comply with the following requirements (among others):

• Tri-Agency Framework: Responsible Conduct of Research
• Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans - TCPS 2 (2022)
• Maintain a valid Certificate of Good Animal Practice ® from the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC)

Good science and scholarship is conducted ethically; this includes personal conduct and professional standards as well as research ethics.

Research ethics focuses on the participants or subjects of the research rather than on the individuals doing the research. Fundamentally, research ethics review is geared toward protecting participants by minimizing the harms or risk to which they are exposed.