:: American University in Dubai ::

Surveys can be divided in two categories: questionnaires and interviews. Questionnaires can be individually administered using paper-and-pencil or online instruments or group administered, in which a sample of respondents is brought together and asked to respond to a structured sequence of questions.

Interviews can be classified as personal interviews, telephone interviews, or email interviews.

Before a survey is administered to the university community, it will be evaluated by the appropriate university administrators and/or academic leaders. The approval process depends on the purpose of the surveys and the relationship between survey administrators and participants.

Survey administrators requiring official approval before administering surveys include:

Members of the university community seeking to evaluate opinions and behaviors of other university community members as part of academic research;
Members of the university community seeking to evaluate opinions and behaviors of other university community members to inform and influence university policy;
External individuals/organizations seeking to collect information related to the AUD community or operations as part of a formal research project (including course papers).

If the research is conducted to satisfy AUD course requirements, the survey should be approved by the faculty member teaching the course. If required by the department, the faculty member will inform/gain approval from the Dean/Chair or his/her designee.
If the research is conducted to satisfy requirements for courses outside AUD or for other types of academic research and publication, the request should be directed to the academic unit Dean/Chair or administrative unit head aim of the survey.

Once approval is gained by the Dean/Chair or administrative head, the request should be submitted to the Director of Institutional Effectiveness for evaluation of the survey instrument. Surveys aimed at the whole university community should be directed to the Director of Institutional Effectiveness who will coordinate with the units to be surveyed.

The following information and materials must be provided to the appropriate recipients in the approval process:

Name of organization (if not AUD)
Name of lead investigator
Survey purpose and objectives
Desired target population
Means of data collection
Ensuring that participants’ anonymity is respected
Copy of the survey
Copy of the consent form if the data will be published
Future use of collected information
Agreement to provide a copy of the final report

Requesters will be notified of the final decision within seven days of receiving their requests.

Institutional Effectiveness
Survey Administration Policy
Purpose
This policy is aimed at ensuring that surveys administered to the AUD community are well structured, organized and respect participants’ privacy. Well-planned surveys and administration procedures are integral to the success of any research project.

Types of Surveys
Surveys can be divided in two categories: questionnaires and interviews. Questionnaires can be individually administered using paper-and-pencil or online instruments or group administered, in which a sample of respondents is brought together and asked to respond to a structured sequence of questions. Interviews can be classified as personal interviews, telephone interviews, or email interviews.

Policy
Before a survey is administered to the university community, it will be evaluated by the appropriate university administrators and/or academic leaders. The approval process depends on the purpose of the surveys and the relationship between survey administrators and participants. Survey administrators requiring official approval before administering surveys include: Members of the university community seeking to evaluate opinions and behaviors of other university community members as part of academic research; Members of the university community seeking to evaluate opinions and behaviors of other university community members to inform and influence university policy; External individuals/organizations seeking to collect information related to the AUD community or operations as part of a formal research project (including course papers).
Procedure for Obtaining Permission to Administer Surveys
A. Members of the university community (faculty/staff/students) as part of academic research/ course work
If the research is conducted to satisfy AUD course requirements, the survey should be approved by the faculty member teaching the course. If required by the department, the faculty member will inform/gain approval from the Dean/Chair or his/her designee. If the research is conducted to satisfy requirements for courses outside AUD or for other types of academic research and publication, the request should be directed to the academic unit Dean/Chair or administrative unit head aim of the survey. Once approval is gained by the Dean/Chair or administrative head, the request should be submitted to the Director of Institutional Effectiveness for evaluation of the survey instrument. Surveys aimed at the whole university community should be directed to the Director of Institutional Effectiveness who will coordinate with the units to be surveyed. The following information and materials must be provided to the appropriate recipients in the approval process: Name of organization (if not AUD) Name of lead investigator Survey purpose and objectives Desired target population Means of data collection Ensuring that participants’ anonymity is respected Copy of the survey Copy of the consent form if the data will be published Future use of collected information Agreement to provide a copy of the final report Requesters will be notified of the final decision within seven days of receiving their requests.

B. Members of the university community (faculty/staff/students) as part of a research to inform and influence university policy
The following information and materials must be provided to the Director of Institutional Effectiveness for evaluation: Name of lead investigator Survey purpose and objectives Desired target population Means of data collection Ensuring that participants’ anonymity is respected Copy of the survey Copy of the consent form if the data will be published Future use of collected information Agreement to provide a copy of the final report The Institutional Effectiveness Director will review the information and will seek approval from the Provost and the President. The IE Director will contact surveying individuals with a final decision within seven days of receiving their requests.

C. External individuals/organizations as part of a formal research project
The following information and materials must be provided to the External Relations Manager: Name of organization (if applicable) Name of lead investigator Survey purpose and objectives Desired target population Means of data collection Ensuring that participation is voluntary Ensuring that participants’ anonymity is respected Copy of the survey Agreement to provide a copy of the final report to the university Approval process: The External Relations Manager will review the request and will determine if the external individual/organization should be granted access (online or physical) to the AUD community. If access to the AUD community is denied, the External Relations Manager will inform the individual/organization. If access to the AUD community is acceptable, the External Relations Manager will forward the documentation to the IE Director who will review the survey instrument and will determine if it complies with IRB procedures. The IE Director will consult with the President for final approval. After all approvals have been secured, the External Relations Manager will contact the individual or organization with the final decision.
Responsibility of Survey Administrators
All university survey results (raw data or summary) must be submitted to the Institutional Effectiveness Department. The name and contact information for the principal investigator should accompany the results. When submitting survey results, survey administrators are responsible for ensuring the anonymity of respondents in any report(s). Additionally, by accepting the authorization to administer the survey, individuals understand and acknowledge that they will have an obligation to use data compiled responsibly, ensuring that data is not redistributed to parties inside or outside the university community, unless clearly detailed when requesting survey approval.

Additional Information
To find out more information on how results of internal surveys are used to inform and shape university policy, please contact the Institutional Effectiveness Department at ied@aud.edu.

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