Research integrity and research ethics are highly valued and required at the University. As stipulated in the University’s Policy on Research Integrity, the design of research projects must follow all relevant ethical guidelines, and relevant ethical approval must be obtained before the commencement of data collection. Data collection and storage must be in compliance with ethical principles.
If personal data are concerned, the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance and the data protection principles in Schedule 1 of that Ordinance should be complied with. Data collection for research projects involving the consent of human participants or the use of vertebrate animal subjects must only begin after the research protocols be submitted for review and obtained clearance by the appropriate ethics committee of the University.
More resources:
| University Policy | |
|---|---|
| HKU Ethics Committees | |
| Legal documents |
Intellectual property rights (IPR) include copyright, patents, trademarks and design rights. IPR grant creators or owners of a work certain controls over its use. Some rights such as patents require registration, while others, such as copyright, accrue automatically upon the work's creation. IPR affects the way both you and others can use your research outputs. Failure to clarify rights at the start of the research process can lead to unexpected limitations for:
Your research
Its dissemination
Future related research projects, and
Associated profit or credit
Research funders often expect you to clarify IPR at the grant proposal stage in your data management plan.
The HKU Intellectual Property Rights Policy sets out ownership of intellectual property rights of staff and students and explains the University position on both copyright and patents. Clause 5.1.3 (c) reads:
"If research data included in a thesis are obtained by a collaborative effort (including collaboration between the Student and a supervisor or other researcher at the University), such data may be the joint property of the Student and the collaborating party. It is strongly advised that Students and supervisors/researchers make clear agreements in advance concerning the ownership and use of Intellectual Property Rights created in connection with a Student thesis."
Principle Investigators (PI) and Research Prostgraduate (RPg) students should read the University’s Policy on Intellectual Property Rights.