Research Office

All research involving human participants at Global Studies University must be reviewed and approved by the Research Office before any data collection begins. Review protects participants, supports researchers, and ensures that research carried out at the University meets recognized ethical standards.

1.1 When You Need Ethics Review

You need ethics review if your project involves human participants — for example, interviews, surveys, focus groups, observation, or the use of identifiable personal information.

Not every activity that involves people requires review. Coursework whose primary purpose is teaching or training, rather than producing new research findings, may fall outside its scope. The Research Office — not the individual researcher — makes this determination. If you are unsure, contact us before you begin; where review is not required, we will issue a written Not Human Subjects Research determination for your records.

1.2 Before You Submit: Training 

Researchers are expected to complete recognized research-ethics training before submitting an application. The Research Office is establishing certification through the CITI Program, and further details will be published once the University’s license is in place.

Ethics approval is required before any data collection begins and is never granted retroactively. Beginning data collection before approval can place your project — and any resulting paper or publication — at risk, so plan your timeline to allow for review.

1.3 How the Review Process Work

1. Complete the forms: Fill in the Ethics Review Application and the Informed Consent Form (available in English and Arabic).
2. Submit: Email your completed application to research@gsu.ac.ae.
3. Receipt: The Research Office logs your application and confirms receipt.
4. Review: The Ethics Review Committee reviews your application, using expedited review where the project qualifies.
5. Outcome: You receive one of three outcomes: an approval letter, a request for revisions, or a Not Human Subjects Research determination.

Most applications are reviewed within [X] working days of a complete submission. Submitting early, and making sure your application is complete, helps avoid delays.

1.4 Review Categories

Not all research carries the same level of risk, and the level of review is matched to it. When you submit, the Research Office determines which category applies — you do not select this yourself.

• Exempt — Research that involves no more than minimal risk and falls within recognized exempt categories, such as anonymous surveys, certain educational research, or the study of existing public data. Exempt projects still require a determination from the Research Office before data collection begins; the exemption is not something a researcher can claim independently.
• Expedited — Research that involves no more than minimal risk but does not qualify as exempt, such as many interview and focus-group studies. These applications are reviewed by the Research Office rather than the full committee, which allows for a faster decision.
• Full review — Research that involves more than minimal risk, sensitive topics, or vulnerable participants. These applications are reviewed by the full Ethics Review Committee.

If you are unsure which category your project falls into, submit your application and the Research Office will make the determination. When in doubt, contact us before you begin.

1.5 The Ethics Review Committee

The Ethics Review Committee is the University body responsible for reviewing research involving human participants. It assesses each application for participant consent, privacy and data protection, potential risks, and the overall soundness of the research design. The Ethics Review Committee meets twice a month. To be considered at a meeting, applications must be submitted at least three days beforehand.

After approval: your ongoing responsibilities

Approval is the beginning of an ongoing relationship with the Research Office, not the end of it. Once your project is approved, you remain responsible for the following.

• Changes to your project — If you want to change your approved research — for example, your methods, participant group, instruments, or sites — submit the change to the Research Office for review before you act on it. Approval covers the project as described in your application.
• Reporting problems — Tell the Research Office promptly if anything happens that affects participants or departs from your approved plan, including unanticipated risks, complaints, or breaches of confidentiality.
• Renewal — Where approval is granted for a defined period, you are responsible for seeking renewal before it lapses if your research is still ongoing.
• Closing your project — Notify the Research Office when data collection is complete so your file can be closed.

If you are unsure whether something requires notice, contact the Research Office. It is always better to ask early.

1.6 Research Outside the UAE

Ethics approval from the Research Office authorizes your research from the University’s side. It does not replace any permissions required by the country where you plan to work.

Many countries require researchers to obtain a national research permit or local ethics clearance before fieldwork can begin, often through a designated national authority or a local affiliating institution. These requirements are separate from the University’s review and can take time to satisfy. If your project involves fieldwork outside the UAE, contact the Research Office early so we can help you identify what is needed and plan your timeline accordingly.

1.7 A Note on Current Approvals

The University’s research ethics framework is being established in stages. While the full framework is being put in place, the Research Office issues provisional approvals through a defined review pathway, allowing eligible research to proceed under appropriate oversight. Certification through the CITI Program is required before any doctoral dissertation fieldwork begins; further details will be published once the University’s CITI Program license is in place.

Research integrity is the foundation of credible scholarship. The Research Office sets and supports the standards that govern how research is conducted, recorded, and published at Global Studies University. As a newly established institution, the University is developing its full research integrity framework; the areas below are central to that work.

• Responsible conduct of research — honest, accurate, and accountable practice at every stage of a project.
• Authorship and publication ethics — fair attribution of credit and transparent reporting of results.
• Academic honesty and originality — the University uses Turnitin, integrated through Canvas, to support originality checking for student and faculty work.
• Conflict of interest — identifying and managing situations where personal interests could affect research decisions.
• Research misconduct — clear procedures for raising and addressing concerns about the conduct of research.
• Data management and protection — guidance on storing, securing, and retaining research data, and on protecting participant confidentiality.

Detailed policies are published as they are finalized. For guidance in the meantime, contact the Research Office.

The Research Office supports faculty and students in pursuing and managing external research funding. We act as the bridge between researchers and funders, helping prepare competitive proposals, reviewing and authorizing submissions on the University’s behalf, and overseeing the responsible administration of awards once they are made.

Beyond ethics and funding, the Research Office supports faculty across their research activity. Our aim is to remove administrative friction so that researchers can focus on their work, while ensuring that research at the University is well-supported and well-recorded.

Support for faculty researchers includes:

• Research proposal and grant development — hands-on help preparing applications, as described under Research Funding & Grants.
• Ethics and compliance guidance — advice on review requirements, consent, data protection, and research involving partners or fieldwork abroad.
• Research integrity advice — support on authorship, conflicts of interest, and responsible conduct of research.
• Research outputs and visibility — support for recording and sharing research outputs, including researcher identifiers and the University’s repository as these are developed.
• Originality and publication support — access to Turnitin through Canvas, with iThenticate planned for dissertations and faculty manuscripts.

Faculty are encouraged to contact the Research Office early in any research project, whether seeking funding, planning fieldwork, or preparing work for publication, so that support can be put in place from the start.

The Research Office provides and coordinates training to help researchers conduct ethical, rigorous, and compliant research. Training is central to the University’s research integrity framework and, in time, will be a standard part of preparing to carry out research with human participants.

The forms below are the documents you submit to the Research Office for ethics review. Download the version you need, complete it, and email it to research@gsu.ac.ae.

RO-ERA-01   —   Ethics Review Application
The main form for requesting review of a project that involves human participants.

RO-ICF-01   —   Informed Consent Form (English)
Template for obtaining the informed consent of research participants.

RO-ICF-01  —   Informed Consent Form (Arabic)
Arabic-language version of the consent form, for participants who prefer it.

Access Forms & Templates.

If you are not sure which forms apply to your project, contact the Research Office before you submit.

Research Office

• Maha Bashri, Director of Research
• Isra Mosameh, Programs and Research Coordinator

E: research@gsu.ac.ae
T: +971 6 5112 434

Working Hours
Office hours are Monday to Thursday, 8:30 am to 5:30 pm.