Good to know
Personal data can be directly or indirectly linked to an individual. Find out more about what is considered personal data.
To process personal data
- If your research involves sensitive personal data or information about violations of the law, you need to apply for ethical review approval before beginning data collection.
- Ensure that you have clearly defined why you need to process the personal data and that all personal data that you plan to process is necessary for achieving the purpose of your research.
- Report your processing of personal data through a form to Umeå University. The form is only available in Swedish, but you can submit your answers in English. Since the form cannot be saved, you are advised to read through the entire form before you start to ensure that you have all necessary information.
- You must inform your data subjects that you are processing their personal data. This applies regardless of whether the project has ethical review approval. Use the provided template.
- Check whether you need to conduct an impact assessment if your personal data processing poses a high risk to the privacy of data subjects.
- Read and understand what it means to have a duty of professional secrecy when processing information classified as secret.
To work with research participants
- You must always obtain consent from research participants for their participation in research even if the research does not require ethical review approval.
- Follow the guidelines in Umeå University’s Rules for remuneration to research participants (available in Swedish) if you are going to provide remuneration.
- If the research involves exposing research participants to risks that are more than negligible, you must ensure that there is insurance that protects the participants. If you are only processing personal data in your research, insurance coverage is rarely needed.
More about insurance
If you decide that research participants need to be covered by insurance, you should
- check to find out if Umeå University’s insurance policies cover the research you will be conducting;
- consult with your head of department about whether insurance coverage needs to be supplemented;
- inform research participants about the insurance they are covered by.
Some available insurance policies
Visit Aktum for more information about insurance policies for guests (UMU ID required)
Visit Aktum for more information about business insurance policies (UMU ID required)
Report personal data breaches
If personal data is subject to an undesirable event, this could be a personal data breach. Report this immediately to abuse@umu.se if you believe a personal data breach has occurred.
