Research Institutional Review Board

The Institutional Review Board (IRB) provides an independent assessment of research projects with regard to  ethical responsibility. A positive review of the IRB does not absolve the applicant from his responsibility of compliance with the corresponding ethical rules all the time. Researchers must aways assume the ultimate responsibility for conducting an ethically acceptable procedure. 

Prerequisites and conditions:

• To submit an application for review to the IRB, at least one researcher involved in the research involving human subjects must be a current member of the Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences at Heidelberg University holding a doctorate (‘Promovierte Fakultätsangehörige’).
• Experiments involving researchers affiliated with a medical faculty either at Heidelberg or elsewhere cannot be submitted for review to the IRB.
• All researchers are themselves responsible for the research ethics of their experiment. An IRB approval does not absolve you from assessing the ethics of your research.
• All researchers are also bound by the relevant applicable laws governing the conduct of public employees and public servants.
• All researchers are also bound by the relevant applicable laws concerning data protection etc.
• The form must be filled out in good faith.
• IRB members cannot approve their own applications.