UNIVERSITY OF MALTA

UNIVERSITY RESEARCH ETHICS COMMITTEE

Check list to be included with UREC proposal form
Please make sure to tick ALL the items. Incomplete forms will not be accepted.
YES

NOT
APP.

1a.

Recruitment letter / Information sheet for

subjects, in English

1b.

Recruitment letter / Information sheet for

subjects, in Maltese

2a

Consent form, in English, signed by

supervisor, and including your contact
details

2b

Consent form, in Maltese, signed by

supervisor, and including your contact
details

3a

In the case of children or other vulnerable

groups, consent forms for parents/
guardians, in English

3b

In the case of children or other vulnerable

groups, consent forms for parents/
guardians, in Maltese

4a

Tests, questionnaires, interview or focus

group questions, etc, in English

4b

Tests, questionnaires, interview or focus

group questions, etc, in Maltese

5a

Other institutional approval for access to

subjects: Health Division, Directorate for
Quality and Standards in Education,
Department of Public Health, Curia...

5b

Other institutional approval for access to

data: Registrar, Data Protection Officer
Health Division/Hospital, Directorate for
Quality and Standards in Education,
Department of Public Health

5c

Approval from person directly responsible

for subjects:
Medical Consultants, Nursing Officers, Head
of School

Received by Faculty office on

Discussed by Faculty Research Ethics
Committee on
1

X
X
X

Discussed by university
Ethics Committee on

Research

UNIVERSITY OF MALTA
Request for Approval of Human Subjects Research
Please type. Handwritten forms will not be accepted
You may follow this format on separate sheets or use additional pages if necessary.
FROM:
PROJECT TITLE: Delivering Insights through
Mark Vella
Typologies of Place
48, Camivel,
Triq tal-Gurgier
Birzebbugia
TELEPHONE: 21657265
E-MAIL mark.b.vella.10@um.edu.mt
COURSE AND YEAR: Master in Architecture
and Urban Design (2015/16), Year 2
DURATION OF ENTIRE PROJECT:

FACULTY SUPERVISOR'S NAME:

from 21st June 2015 to 29th January 2016

Dr. Edwin Mintoff

ANTICIPATED FUNDING SOURCE:

(include grant or contract number if known)

1. Please give a brief summary of the purpose of the research, in non-technical language.

The research concerns the sustainability of city peripheral development in the Maltese
scenario and how this can be achieved through cultural planning. This research
focuses on the area of Smart City Malta and the surrounding settlements. Contents of
the research would include; the relevant theory and literature; an account of the
historical evolution of the urban-rural areas in Malta; site observation, analysis and
data collection on relevant themes and issues such as land use, urban morphology,
types of open spaces and their qualities, promotion of culture; focused interviews; and
possible interventions. The research investigate how such areas can be developed.

2. Give details of procedures that relate to subjects' participation

(a) How are subjects recruited? What inducement is offered? (Append copy of letter or advertisement
or poster, if any.)

Interviews with technical persons are organized via e-mail to obtain their approval
explaining the subject under study and what information would ideally be required
from them. The interviews are digitally documented. A letter to be sent to subjects is
attached at the end of this document.

(b) Salient characteristics of subjectsnumber who will participate, age range, sex, institutional
affiliation, other special criteria:

Considering the nature of the study and of the site these would be difficult to quantify.
The technical people such as planners, mayors, and those responsible for the running
of Smart City Malta, are potential subjects and interviews would seek qualitative
answers.

(c) Describe how permission has been obtained from cooperating institution(s)school, hospital,
organization, prison, or other relevant organization. (Append letters.) Is the approval of another
Research Ethics Committee required?

The subject have not been approached as yet.

(d) What do subjects do, or what is done to them, or what information is gathered? (Append copies of
instructions or tests or questionnaires.) How many times will observations, tests, etc., be conducted?
How long will their participation take?

Participation would obviously depend on the will of the subject to participate.

Information gathered would deal with people perceptions and beliefs about the site in
question, what uses and amenities should be provided on site, whether or not such
developments are welcomed or not and what elements are mostly sought after. The
interviews are meant to study possible interventions and solutions and document
people perceptions and experience. Attached is a list of possible questions to be asked.

(e) Which of the following data categories are collected? Please indicate Yes or No.
Data that reveals race or ethnic origin

NO

political opinions

NO

religious or philosophical beliefs

NO

trade union memberships

NO

health

NO

sex life

NO

genetic information

NO

3. How do you explain the research to subjects and obtain their informed consent to participate? (If in
writing, append a copy of consent form.) If subjects are minors, mentally infirm, or otherwise not
legally competent to consent to participation, how is their assent obtained and from whom is proxy
consent obtained? How is it made clear to subjects that they can quit the study at any time?

Persons providing technical information need not necessary be daily users of the site.
The subjects are approached via e-mail in order to obtain their consent, explain what
information is required and why their participation would be beneficial. Attached is a
sample letter of consent and the questions will be provided beforehand.
In the case of minors these, these will not be recruitment to take part in interviews,
surveys and/or questionnaires and will not be considered within the study.

4 .Do subjects risk any harmphysical, psychological, legal, socialby participating in the research?
Are the risks necessary? What safeguards do you take to minimize the risks?

No

5. Are subjects deliberately deceived in any way? If so, what is the nature of the deception? Is it likely
to be significant to subjects? Is there any other way to conduct the research that would not involve
deception, and, if so, why have you not chosen that alternative? What explanation for the deception do
you give to subjects following their participation?

No.

6. How will participation in this research benefit subjects? If subjects will be debriefed or receive
information about the research project following its conclusion, how do you ensure the educational
value of the process? (Include copies of any debriefing or educational materials)

A copy of the dissertation study can be sent to those contacted via e-mail. Any
valuable results, needs for further investigations, and proposals highlighted during the
study might be of value for them.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR APPROVAL IN TERMS OF THE DATA PROTECTION ACT
Personal data shall only be collected and processed for the specific research purpose.
The data shall be adequate, relevant and not excessive in relation to the processing purpose.
All reasonable measures shall be taken to ensure the correctness of personal data.
Personal data shall not be disclosed to third parties and may only be required by the University or the
supervisor for verification purposes. All necessary measures shall be implemented to ensure
confidentiality and, where possible, data shall be anonymised.
Unless otherwise authorised by the University Research Ethics Committee, the researcher shall obtain
the consent from the data subject (respondent) and provide him with the following information: The
researchers identity and habitual residence, the purpose of processing and the recipients to whom
personal data may be disclosed. The data subject shall also be informed about his rights to access,
rectify, and where applicable erase the data concerning him.

I, the undersigned hereby undertake to abide by the terms and conditions for approval as attached to this
application.

I, the undersigned, also give my consent to the University of Maltas Research Ethics Committee to
process my personal data for the purpose of evaluating my request and other matters related to this
application. I also understand that, I can request in writing a copy of my personal information. I shall
also request rectification, blocking or erasure of such personal data that has not been processed in
accordance with the Act.

Signature:

APPLICANT'S SIGNATURE:
I hereby declare that I will not start my
research on human subjects before UREC
approval

FACULTY SUPERVISORS SIGNATURE

I have reviewed this completed application and I am
satisfied with the adequacy of the proposed research
design and the measures proposed for the protection of
human subjects.

DATE 11th September 2015

DATE 11th September 2015

Return the completed application to your faculty Research Ethics Committee

To be completed by Faculty Research Ethics Committee
We have examined the above proposal and advise
7

Acceptance

Refusal

Conditional acceptance

For the following reason/s:

Signature

Date

To be completed by University Research Ethics Committee

We have examined the above proposal and grant
Acceptance

Refusal

Conditional acceptance

For the following reason/s:

Signature

Date

Focused Interviews with Technical People

Letter of consent sample
Good Afternoon,
I am a student reading for the Masters in Architecture and Urban Design at the
University of Malta. As part of the fulfilment for the course students were requested
to carry out a dissertation research. The research concerns the sustainability of city
peripheral development in the Maltese scenario and how this can be achieved. I am
taking the area of Smart City as a basis for investigation. Knowing your
commitments and possible experiences of the site and matters related to such
development I would like to ask for your opinion on certain issues related to the site
and development. Your responses would be beneficial for the assessment of the site
and the collection of data in this research project. Any personal data and
information will be kept confidential, and anonymous.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Regards,
Mark Vella

Sample of Questions
1. The development adopts sustainability practices and
strategies in terms of the building techniques and urban
design practices. Such developments are usually targeted to
balance unsustainable patterns of suburban communities,
retrofitting existing places well-outside main city centres.
How these developments and its effect on the construction
industry, local communities, landscape, heritage and
planning were studied and what lessons can we learn that
can be applied elsewhere? What can be done when there is
a lack of interest from the local community to participate in
participatory meeting and practices?
2. The area is identified as having potential for land
reclamation and increasingly we are realising the important
role that maritime transport, amongst other forms of
transport that can be considered, could play in our local
economy and sustainability of the transportation system,
whilst the cultural heritage could have been assets better
exploited for the benefit of the local community. Could the
built heritage and maritime opportunities have been better
linked with the proposed development?
3. An advantageous characteristic of the IT sector is the
versatility that it can locate itself in remote locations thus
benefiting remote communities that find it hard to access
high held job opportunities, access affordable housing prices
and reduce business operation costs. How was the location
of such development chosen, it is ideal when considering the
demographic characteristics of the region it is built in with
the lack of third level education and poor connectivity to
other urban places?
4. What opportunities retrofitting and investment in declining
areas, infrastructure (road network upgrades waste
management,
employment
provision,
creating
ICT
infrastructure, water and sewage infrastructure etc.), unused
developed exist?
5. What are the challenges that were faced in the design and
planning process? What are the challenges nowadays, since
the development did not perform as predicted in the
economic report and now that the first phase is completed?
6. Decentralised system are becoming effective and
technology is being developed and implemented in new
masterplan strategies that aims to contribute towards
reducing CO2 emissions and green house gases. What
energy sources and technology was envisaged, for instance
CHPs, water harvesting techniques, and passive technology?
(resource management, water, energy, waste, use of LEED)

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7. Why the land uses and open spaces were organised in

such a way and what influenced such planning decisions?

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