In-person research allowed to resume at Stellenbosch University

Stellenbosch University’s (SU) has approved the decision to allow in-person research involving human participants to resume during Covid-19 level 1 restrictions. This is after most research at the university had been conducted online since March.

This was according to a statement released by SU’s postgraduate office on 7 October. SU’s Senate for Research Ethics Committee approval for such research is effective immediately from October, it was stated.

Stellenbosch University’s Senate for Research Ethics Committee has allowed in-person research involving human participants, to resume at Stellenbosch University. PHOTO: Unsplash/ThisisEngineering RAEng

During the earlier lockdown levels, various ethics committees at SU opted for online research methodologies to minimise the risk of infection, said dr Blanche Pretorious from the Health Research Ethics Committee at SU.

“Exceptions were made in cases of essential research. For example, TB and HIV research,” said Pretorious. “Since the country’s more recent move to level 1, most research will be able to resume.” 

Ethics committees will assess studies very carefully where participants are considered to be vulnerable, like persons with comorbidities, said Pretorious.

Criteria for returning

To return to in-person research on campus, students will need to submit an application, said dr Nicola Barsdorf, research integrity officer at SU’s Division for Research Development.

The application will be approved if they can convince the committee that the research cannot be done online and that they will be able to put measures in place to prevent the potential spread of Covid-19, said Barsdorf. 

She added that the in-person research will be approved if the overall potential benefit of the research outweighs any potential harm to participants or the researchers.

“Where in-person data collection is essential to the research design and can be done in a responsible manner to mitigate the risk of spreading Covid-19, it is best if these students are now allowed to resume their data collection,” Barsdorf said.

The need for in-person research

One of the reasons for the approval of in-person research is the limitations of online research, due to a lack of access to computers or data, said Barsdorf. 

In some instances, conducting research online would also have led to incomplete or biased results, like conducting observations that need to be made in a controlled environment, Barsdorf said.  

“Some students have changed their projects, while others have postponed data collection,” said Barsdorf.

According to Barsdorf, if some students postpone their data collection any further, this may lead to another year being added to their studies. In many instances, bursary providers will not necessarily fund an additional year, she said. 

In-person research could assist mental health

According to Alison Bucholz, head of the SU’s postgraduate skills development, prioritising mental health was a challenge for students conducting research during the lockdown period. PHOTO: Unsplash/Madison Lavern

Resuming in-person research could also help alleviate the factors that impacted student mental health during the lockdown period, said Alison Bucholz, head of the postgraduate skills development programme at SU. Bucholz said that prioritising mental health had been a challenge for students completing their research.

“It ranges from financial problems, to struggling to liaise with supervisors, to time management and [handling the] isolation,” said Bucholz.

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