Don’t panic!
A Survival Guide for Law and Ethics in Research
Here you will find an overview of all workshops in our Legal Workshops Series:
You collect samples from agricultural land, you use drone footage in which people can be seen, you record bird calls in the park and happen to pick up a few conversations in the process, or you want to conduct interviews with farmers or local residents. One thing is clear: wherever there are people, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) isn’t far away!
But what does the GDPR actually aim to achieve, and how does it affect you? Do you even need to take data protection issues into account? In this module, we’ll work through the practical aspects of data protection together! We’ll explain what the GDPR is, what types of data it applies to, and what needs to be done in each case. Among other things, we’ll help you learn how to draft informed consents and privacy notices that are easy to understand. We’ll show you how to assess and justify data processing operations relevant to data protection law, and discuss how research data can be safeguarded if the consent that was obtained is withdrawn.
Agenda
Day 1: 13.10.2026 10 – 12am
The scope of the GDPR
Key question: Do I need to comply with the GDPR?
Learning objectives: Learners will be able to
- name the legal conditions for data protection.
- evaluate the risks in the area of data protection.
- name the legal basis for the protection of personal data.
- explain the terms personal data and sensitive data.
- name reasons for a special protection of personal data.
- explain the temporal, territorial, material and personal scope of the GDPR.
- evaluate the applicability of the GDPR on a case-by-case basis.
Day 2: 14.10.2026 10-12 am
The application of the GDPR
Key question: If I have to comply with the GDPR, what then?
Learning objectives: Learners will be able to
- name, explain and apply the contents of a privacy policy.
- name, explain and analyse information obligations which apply for the collection of personal data for research purposes.
- name and explain methods for the protection of the identity of research participants.
- choose and apply methods for the protection of the identity of research participants according to the situation independently.
- explain the liabilities for the obtainment of an informed consent.
- explain the difference between anonymisation and pseudonymisation.
Day 3: 15.10.2026 10-12 am
The informed consent
Key question: How do I put informedconsent into practice?
Learning objectives: Learners will be able to
- name, explain and apply different methods for obtaining an informed consent.
- name the content of an informed consent.
- name the relevance of an informed consent.
- apply templates for an informed consent according to the situation.
- design templates for an informed consent.
Training Team
Lea is a lawyer and a scientific researcher at FIZ Karlsruhe. Her areas of expertise lie primarily in the field of intellectual property rights and data protection. Within FAIRagro, she is the Data Steward for Legal and Ethical Affairs, providing information and support to the community both on an individual basis and through the legal column and workshops.
Sophie has a background in nutritional sciences. She works at ZB MED – the Life Sciences Information Centre in Cologne and, as a training coordinator at FAIRagro, is responsible for imparting knowledge and skills in research data management to the agricultural research community.
Target group
Forschende aus der Agrar-, Biodiversitäts- und Erdsystemforschung
The workshop will be held in English.
Please note: This training is going to be recorded.
Keywords:
Data Protection, Informed Consent, Legal Training Series, Agrosystem Research, Environmental Research, Earth System Science
Registration
