Ethics Committee of the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam

If necessary, the Ethics Committee examines the ethical justifiability of the objectives and procedures of research projects, e.g. the possible use for non-peaceful purposes, and checks whether all precautions have been taken to minimise risks or whether there is an appropriate balance between benefits and risks.

The following projects in particular are subject to the review:

• intervention studies, projects that involve physical and/or mental impairment and risks for the test subjects; research for which the informed consent of the persons to be examined cannot be obtained (e.g. very young children or where the intention of the measurement is concealed).
• projects involving significant safety-related risks to human dignity, life, health, freedom, property, the environment or peaceful coexistence. Risks exist in particular in research projects that are likely to generate knowledge, products or technologies that can be directly misused by third parties. The same applies if safety-relevant risks become apparent during the realisation of a research project.
• projects involving animals which require authorisation under the Animal Welfare Act and which may also give rise to ethical concerns.

Naturally, in many cases it is not possible to draw a clear line between this and other areas that go beyond the fields of activity mentioned above. In most cases, the topics discussed are directly related to each other and a decision from an ethical perspective is only possible if they are considered in relation to each other. However, if the focus is clearly on the following topics, we refer to the following responsible persons or authorised representatives and experts at the university of applied sciences. In this case, contact is not made by the Ethics Committee, but must be made by the applicants themselves. If the enquiry also falls within the remit of the Ethics Committee, the respective expert will be consulted by the Ethics Committee.