Politecnico di Torino is committed to upholding the highest ethical standards in research, with the dual purpose of safeguarding all individuals involved in research activities and promoting scientific excellence. Research outcomes often serve as a basis for policy and technical decisions at both governmental and private-sector levels. Therefore, it is imperative that research be conducted with integrity, responsibility, and in full compliance with rigorous ethical principles.
To foster an institutional culture of ethics, the University provides its personnel with guidance and support concerning ethical issues in research and the procedures necessary to ensure adherence to these principles. Researchers are expected to consider the broader impact of their work, not only in terms of scientific advancement but also with respect to the protection of human dignity and the potential social and cultural implications. This requirement is increasingly emphasized by research funding agencies and, in some cases, by scientific publishers, who demand evidence that research reflects ethical values and safeguards fundamental rights.
In pursuit of these objectives, Politecnico di Torino has established a Research Ethics Committee, appointed by Rectoral Decree No. 90 dated 30 January 2024. The Committee’s mission is to promote ethical reflection within scientific research and, primarily upon request from principal investigators, to provide opinions regarding compliance with ethical principles in research projects.
The Committee’s Regulations define its mandate, composition, and operating procedures. Its overarching role is to deliver evaluations, opinions, and verifications across a wide range of research domains. Matters reserved by law for other ethics committees or bodies—such as those concerning interventional studies, including clinical trials of medicinal products or surgical techniques—fall outside its remit. The Committee operates according to principles of independence, competence, and interdisciplinarity and consists of five full members and five alternates. For the assessment of specific issues, the Committee may consult additional experts.
The Anti-Corruption, Transparency, and Privacy Office, which also provides support to the Ethics Committee, is part of the Directorate for General Affairs, Institutional Relations, Archives, and Libraries (ARIA). It serves as the Committee’s technical secretariat and assists researchers with matters related to GDPR compliance and personal data protection in research projects submitted for ethical review.
Researchers intending to submit a request for ethical review or, more broadly, for an ethical opinion are required to complete the documentation available on the designated webpage (accessible upon login with institutional credentials) and forward it via email to: comitatoetico@polito.it.
Only applications received by the technical secretariat at least 20 working days prior to the scheduled meeting date will be considered. Requests submitted after this deadline will be deferred to subsequent meetings.
The Ethics Committee generally issues its opinion within 45 days from the date of receipt of a complete application. For submissions that have already undergone preliminary review and are resubmitted for further evaluation, the final deadline for submission is 10 working days prior to the scheduled meeting date.
For research involving the processing of participants’ personal data, a thorough assessment of data protection issues is essential. Researchers are strongly advised to consult a qualified expert or contact the University’s Data Protection Officer (DPO), Avv. Nicoletta Roz, at dpo@polito.it or privacy@polito.it. For matters concerning data security and storage, please contact Ing. Enrico Venuto at ciso@polito.it.