Research Permit
A research permit granted by Vaasa University of Applied Sciences (VAMK) is required for all research or theses that involve VAMK’s staff, students, and/or organization.
Filling Out and Submitting the Application
The research permit must be applied for well in advance before the research begins. The applicant must always sign the application form. The signed research permit application form, along with the required attachments, should be submitted to: tutkimusluvat@vamk.fi.
You can download the VAMK research permit application form here: VAMK Research Permit
The following mandatory attachments must be included with the application:
- Research, Thesis, or Project plan
- Data Management plan
- Information Sheet for Participants
- Possible Survey, Interview, or Observation Forms
- Possible Consent Form
Other possible attachments:
- Ethical Committee Statement, if the research is planned in a way that requires Ethical Review
- Data Protection Notice is mandatory if the research involves the processing of personal data
- Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) is mandatory if the research involves the processing of special categories of personal data
Processing of the Application at VAMK
The research permit at VAMK is granted by the Director of RDI. The processing of the research permit application typically takes 1–2 weeks, so it is advisable to allocate sufficient time for the process. To expedite processing, please ensure that the application and required attachments are carefully completed. Applications cannot be processed without the mandatory attachments.
The research permit application, decision, and attachments will be stored in VAMK’s case management system.
Conditions for Granting a Research Permit
VAMK is committed to following the guidelines and recommendations provided by the Finnish National Board on Research Integrity (TENK). A research permit is granted only for research that complies with ethical research recommendations and good scientific practice.
Granting a research permit and providing access to data/materials requires that the researcher commits to handling the data and materials carefully and adhering to Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) as well as legislation regarding the processing, archiving, destruction of personal data, and privacy protection.
The researcher is obliged to handle data and materials confidentially and to use them only for the research specified in the research permit. Once the research is completed, the data must be properly disposed of.
The research must comply with the relevant legislation. Learn more:
- EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
- Data Protection Act (in Finnish)
- Act on the Openness of Government Activities (621/1999) (in Finnish)
- Act on the Protection of Privacy in Working Life (759/2004) (in Finnish)
What is Ethical Pre-evaluation in Research, and Do I Need It for My Research Permit?
Ethical pre-evaluation refers to the assessment of a research plan in accordance with discipline-specific ethical practices. This evaluation focuses on anticipating any potential harm that the research or its results might cause to participants.
Researchers are required to request an ethical pre-evaluation statement from the ethical committee for human sciences within their own research organization.
Instructions for Ethical Pre-evaluation for VAMK Master’s Degree Students (in Finnish)
