Worktribe Ethics is an online system to support the preparation, submission, review and approval of research ethics applications. The workflow-based system will replace previous offline and email processes.
Once it is live, the link to the Worktribe Ethics system will be posted here, as well as links to guides, FAQs, training and other resources.
The system will be launched gradually, starting with applications from the Education Department in May 2024. Other departments and divisions will follow, with dates to be posted here as they are confirmed. Please check this page regularly to find out when you will need to submit your application through Worktribe Ethics, rather than 'paper-based' by email.
'Live' dates:
May 2024: Education
Worktribe will go live for other departments and divisions in phases, with those dates still TBC.
If your department or division is not yet listed, please follow the existing process for submitting an ethics application.
Ethics approval is needed for all research involving human participants and/or personal data. Once the system is implemented, researchers requiring ethics approval for their project will prepare and submit an ethics application online via Worktribe Ethics. Supervisors, co-investigators, ethics administrators, and ethics committees will manage, comment, review and approve applications within the same system.
Research ethics:
University research ethics policies and requirements will remain the basis on which research projects are reviewed and approved. Researchers who have submitted ethics applications at Oxford before will find the questions and logic quite familiar. Administrators will direct applications to the appropriate departmental or inter-divisional ethics committee via the system.
Guidance:
For researchers, completing the Worktribe form is straightforward. The filter questions and workflow will ensure that you submit the necessary information and supporting documents for your research project. The system has information and guidance 'built in', and where you need to refer to Oxford ethics policies or procedures, links will take you to the relevant web pages.
Support for system-related issues will be available once the system is live, and details of how to contact this service will appear here.
