Conducting Research Across Multiple Campuses: Ethical and Logistical Hacks

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Multi-Campus Research Logistics and Ethics are considered when coordinating a study across several affiliated colleges adds layers of complexity—from securing ethics approval at each site to safely exchanging sensitive data. This post shares pragmatic hacks to navigate multi-campus research ethically and efficiently. You’ll learn how to obtain separate or umbrella IEC clearances, set up encrypted data transfers, and draft a robust Multi-Site Data Sharing Agreement.

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1. Navigating Multi-Site Ethics Approvals in Multi-Campus Research Logistics and Ethics

Option A: Separate IEC Clearances

1. Identify Each Ethics Committee
   • List all campus IEC/IRBs with contact information and submission deadlines.
2. Tailor Your Protocol
   • For each campus, adjust participant descriptions (e.g., “students at Campus B enrolled in Course Y”).
3. Streamline Materials
   • Use a common core protocol and append a single “Campus Addendum” per IEC, highlighting local differences (e.g., language, consent process).

Option B: Umbrella Approval

1. Approach the Lead IEC
   • Submit a comprehensive protocol to the main university IEC, requesting extension to affiliated colleges.
2. Obtain Formal Letters
   • Secure written confirmation from the lead IEC granting umbrella approval.
3. Notify Local IECs
   • Send the umbrella letter plus the core protocol to each campus IEC for their records—often a fast-track acknowledgment suffices.

Tip: Clarify early with each IEC whether they accept umbrella approvals—policies vary by institution.

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2. Secure Cross-Campus Data Transfers

Encryption at Rest

• Institution-Managed SFTP
  • Create per-site folders on the university’s SFTP server.
  • Apply folder-level AES-256 encryption so data is unreadable without proper credentials.

Encryption in Transit

• Use SFTP or HTTPS APIs
  • Ensure all file transfers occur over SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol) or HTTPS endpoints with TLS 1.2+ enforced.
• Automate Transfers
  • Write simple scripts (Bash, PowerShell) that use scp or curl --upload-file with server certificates, reducing manual errors.

# Example: Secure copy to central server
scp -i ~/.ssh/id_rsa campusB_data.csv sftpuser@univ.edu:/secure_study/CampusB/

Local Storage Safeguards

• Encrypted Drives
  • Mandate that each local investigator store raw data on machine volumes encrypted with BitLocker (Windows) or FileVault (Mac).
• Access Controls
  • Limit folder permissions to the site PI and data manager only.

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3. Sample Multi-Site Data Sharing Agreement

Use this template as the foundation for formalizing cross-campus collaborations:

Section	Details
1. Parties & Roles	• Campus A PI: Protocol lead, ethics submissions, central data aggregation.• Campus B PI: Local recruitment, data collection.
2. Data Collection & Storage	• Each site collects raw data with local consent forms.• Data files uploaded nightly to SFTP under /CampusX/Raw/ encrypted folder.
3. Interim Audits	• Quarterly internal audits by central data manager.• Each site must provide audit logs (timestamps, file hashes) within 7 days of request.
4. Confidentiality & Compliance	• All personnel must complete human-subjects training.• Data never shared outside signatories without mutual written consent.
5. Dispute Resolution	• If a site withdraws mid-study, remaining sites continue per protocol.• Disagreements escalated to a mediation panel of three ethics members.
6. Term & Termination	• Agreement in effect from signature until data destruction (5 years post-study).• Termination requires 30-day written notice by any party.

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4. Best Practices & Quick Checklist under Multi-Campus Research Logistics and Ethics

1. Map Out All IEC Requirements
   • Deadlines, fees, local forms.
2. Centralize Protocol Versioning
   • Use Git or cloud-based version control for core protocol and campus addenda.
3. Automate & Log Transfers
   • Schedule nightly SFTP jobs; maintain logs with file checksums.
4. Encrypt Everywhere
   • Data at rest (encrypted drives/folders) and in transit (SFTP/TLS).
5. Formalize Agreements
   • Have all PIs sign the Multi-Site Agreement before any data collection begins.

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Final Thought on Multi-Campus Research Logistics and Ethics

Multi-campus research need not be a logistical nightmare. With clear ethics pathways, encrypted data pipelines, and formalized agreements, you’ll maintain participant trust, satisfy institutional requirements, and keep your project on track—no matter how many campuses you involve.

“Coordination and encryption: the twin pillars of multi-site research integrity.”

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Explore more ethical research hacks for professors pursuing a PhD in India on our Ethical PhD Research Hacks for Faculty guide page