Level 5 research data would cause severe harm to individuals or the University if disclosed.

It includes individually identifiable information which if disclosed would create risk of criminal liability, loss of insurability or employability, or severe social, psychological, reputational, financial or other harm to an individual or group. It includes research information classified as Level 5 by an IRB.

Examples:

Research data covered by a regulation or agreement that requires that it be stored or processed in a high security environment on the Duke Kunshan University Protected Network (DKUPN); certain individually identifiable medical records and genetic information, categorized as extremely sensitive.

Storage Options:

The DKUPN must be used to store Level 5 data and the Duke Kunshan IT Director must approve all use of the DKUPN. 

Retention:

Researchers, or the responsible investigators, have the obligation to ensure that, for all aspects of their research programs, sufficient records are kept to document the experimental methods and accuracy of data collection as well as the methods and accuracy of data interpretation.

Research data should be archived for a minimum of five years after final reporting or publication of a project (or longer if required by an external sponsor, law, rule, or regulation).  View the Duke Kunshan Policy on Research Records: Sharing, Retention and Ownership (log in needed).

*Due to the sensitive nature of any Level 5 research data, special requirements have been set up to ensure its security through all steps of the research lifecycle. Please refer to this document (log in to download) for specific information about access, storage, and disposal.