Research ethics

Processing of personal data in research projects

Students and researchers that are about to start projects must consider if personal data will be processed. If that is the case, the Personal Data Act (only in norwegian) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) applies.

Personal data is any data that can be linked to a person. For example this can be a name, national ID number, e-mail, IP-address and a picture. A person’s voice on a sound recording is also personal data. And a combination of data can make it possible to identify a person, this can be data such as age, gender, profession, nationality.

All projects at UiT where personal data will be processed must be notified to NSD (Norwegian Centre for Research Data) in advanced. This also applies to projects where researchers must apply in advanced to the regional committee for medical and health research ethics.

NSD assists UiT in securing and proving that processing of personal data for research purposes, is in accordance with the personal data regulations. Notification to NSD should be sent at least 30 days before starting the processing of personal data. You notify NSD through this form. The form should be as complete as possible to avoid any delays of your project. For students, their supervisors must be included at an early stage in order to assess whether the project must be notified to NSD. The (main) supervisor is the person with day-to-day responsibility for the student project (including PhD-projects). The student and the supervisor may share the NSD form with each order in order for both parties to have access to the contact with NSD.

Guidelines for processing of personal data in research and student projects at UiT shall ensure routines that are in accordance with applicable legislation and ensure that UiT fulfills its responsibility as a data controller. Researchers and students that process personal data in their projects must familiarize themselves with and follow the guidelines. The guidelines are also a tool for the management and the research administration at UiT to supervise the research, prevent and recity any discrepancies.

Updated: 11.01.2023, updated by: Margit Ramberg