Ethics Committee on Human Rights and Research Security

1. Partner(s) 

(Direct collaboration partners and main project coordinator/lead partner)

• Does your project involve direct collaboration with military partners? 
• Is a partner located in a country/region with a high risk of human rights violations or an active conflict zone?
• Does a partner in your project fall under the EU Sanctions list?

NO to all questions: no ethical review required

YES to one or more questions: ethical review is required. Go to How can I apply? to learn more about the application procedure.

UNSURE: contact RRI@uhasselt.be

2. Funder/funding

• Does your research receive funding from a military entity?
• Is your funder located in a country/region with a high risk of human rights violations or an active conflict zone?

NO to all questions: no ethical review required

YES to one or more questions: ethical review is required. Go to How can I apply? to learn more about the application procedure.

UNSURE: contact RRI@uhasselt.be

3. Research activity

• Does it concern a critical or sensitive technology area?
• Are you planning research activities in an area with documented human rights concerns or conflict zones?
• Are there any ethical or moral dilemmas attached to the intended collaboration?

NO to all questions: no ethical review required

YES to one or more questions: ethical review is required. Go to How can I apply? to learn more about the application procedure.

UNSURE: contact RRI@uhasselt.be

4. End use/end user

• Does your research involve the development of technology specifically for defense applications?
• Is there a risk that your research results, data, or innovations could be misused by third parties?
• Do you need a formal Knowledge Security Attestation for an FWO application or other funding body?

NO to all questions: no ethical review required

YES to one or more questions: ethical review is required. Go to How can I apply? to learn more about the application procedure.

UNSURE: contact RRI@uhasselt.be

1. Submit application form

You submit the initial project details via RRI@UHasselt.be (we are working on an digital application form)

2. Screening

 A preliminary check is conducted to see if the project falls under the committee’s scope.

3. Committee review

The expert committee evaluates the project against the core principles mentioned above.

4. Final decision

The committee's advice is reviewed by the Senior Management Bureau.

5. Feedback

You receive a formal notification with the outcome and, where necessary, guidance on how to move forward. Potential outcome:

• Positive evaluation: the research project is in line with the university’s ethical and security standards. Potential risks are considered to be sufficiently addressed and mitigated.
• Positive evaluation depending mitigating measures: The project is approved on the condition that specific mitigating measures are implemented. Adherence to these measures is mandatory for the approval to remain valid.
• Negative advice: The identified risks (e.g., related to human rights violations, knowledge security,) are too high and cannot be sufficiently mitigated. In this case, the collaboration or research activity in its current form cannot proceed.

Funder: military funding

You are developing a heat-resistant coating for materials and want to apply for funding from a military organization.

It is mandatory for any research funded by or in collaboration with a military entity to undergo an ethical evaluation by the ECHRS.

Who is the military entity? 
Is the technology listed on the dual-use export control list?
Can you demonstrate a clear and substantial civilian use for the technology?
What are the potential risks for misuse or other unethical practices (human rights violations)? Can you mitigate these risks?
Are your rights to publish and your independence as a researcher guaranteed?

Partner: dual-use research with a non-EU university

You are developing AI technology to improve traffic management. One of your partners is a university outside the EU that hosts a defense lab on site.

The combination of a sensitive technology (AI) and a partner in a region with a different geopolitical profile increases the risk of unintended knowledge transfer or military exploitation. The ECHRS supports you in defining mitigation measures to safeguard your research.

Consider how your research, data, results and IP can be protected. Are there clear agreements on who has access to the source code, data, and final results?

Research activity: region governed by an authoritarian regime

You are conducting research on women’s education in a country with an authoritarian regime that has been repeatedly accused of severe human rights violations.

Research in regions where human rights are under pressure requires extra diligence regarding the safety of participants and the researcher’s own security. The ECHRS helps you evaluate potential risks for human rights infringements.

How will you guarantee the anonymity and safety of your respondents?
Is there a risk that your results could be misused by local authorities for surveillance or oppression?

End-Use / End-User: dual-use research with potential for misuse

You are developing a new type of biomedical implant for civilian rehabilitation. A foreign military research lab expresses interest in testing or adapting the implant for military applications.

When there is a concrete indication that civilian research could be repurposed for military or unethical practices (including human rights violations), an ethical review by the ECHRS is mandatory to prevent misuse.

Be transparent about the external interest. What measures can be taken to ensure the technology is not exploited for harmful purposes?