For Panellists

Is Uni Panel legitimate?

Yes. Uni Panel was established by Jane Powell following the closure of Shift Insight in order to ensure that a long-established higher education and research participant community could continue supporting research across the sector. Research involving this community has contributed to studies for organisations including Wellcome, UKRI, Cambridge University Press, Springer Nature, Crossref and others.

Who runs Uni Panel?

Uni Panel was founded and is operated by Jane Powell, who was the MD of highly respected market research agency Shift Insight.

I received an email from Uni Panel, but I don't remember joining. Why?

Everyone included in Uni Panel has, at some point, actively provided their contact details and agreed to be contacted about future research opportunities. You may have joined Uni Panel by registering directly with Uni Panel, by registering directly with Shift Insight, or by agreeing, during the course of a Shift Insight research project, that they were happy to be contacted about future research opportunities. In some cases this may have been some time ago. Particularly if Shift Insight didn't have much information about you, they may not have contacted you often. Following the closure of Shift Insight, Uni Panel was established by Jane Powell to continue operating and developing this higher education and research participant community. If you're unsure why you've been contacted, please email jane@uni-panel.com. We will be happy to explain what information we hold about you, how it was obtained and how it is used.

How did Uni Panel get my details?

Uni Panel only holds details for people who have previously provided their contact details or agreed to be contacted about relevant research opportunities. You may have given this information directly to Uni Panel, directly to Shift Insight, or during participation in a Shift Insight research project where permission was given for future research contact. If you would like more information about the details we hold about you, please contact info@uni-panel.com.

How do I join Uni Panel?

Email jane@uni-panel.com from your professional or institutional email address and we will explain the next steps.

Do I have to use my professional email address permanently?

No. We ask for an initial email from a professional or institutional email account so that we can verify your eligibility. Once your professional identity has been verified, you do not have to continue using this email address if you would prefer us to contact you through a different address.

Why do you ask for a professional email address?

Verification helps us maintain the panel's quality and integrity and helps ensure that clients can reach genuine researchers, academics and higher education professionals.

Why might you ask for additional proof of my identity or professional status?

Uni Panel specialises in researchers, academics and higher education professionals. To help maintain the quality and integrity of the panel, we may occasionally ask for additional evidence of identity, professional affiliation or eligibility for particular studies. Any information requested will be limited to what is reasonably necessary for verification purposes.

Am I committing to take part in research if I join?

No. Joining Uni Panel simply means you may be invited to relevant research opportunities. You are free to decide whether or not to participate in any survey, interview, focus group, usability test or other research activity.

How often will I receive invitations?

We try to only send invitations for studies that are relevant to you. This means that how often you are contacted will vary according to your background, your profile and the studies available. Most members will receive only a limited number of invitations each year and there is no obligation to respond.

Will I be paid?

Many interviews and focus groups offer payment. Some surveys offer entry into a prize draw and, very occasionally, surveys may offer a direct monetary incentive. Full details will always be provided before you decide whether to participate. Note that you do not get paid just for providing profiling information.

Will organisations contact me directly?

Research invitations are distributed through Uni Panel. We will ensure you are only sent high quality opportunities.

Will you share my details with clients?

We do not sell personal information to third parties for marketing purposes. Where identifiable information would need to be shared in connection with a specific research project, this will be explained in advance and any necessary consent obtained. Further information is available in our Privacy and Ethics Policy.

Can I see what information you hold about me?

Yes. You have the right to request details of the personal information we hold about you and to request correction of inaccurate information. To make a request, please email info@uni-panel.com. We may ask for additional information to verify your identity before responding. Further information about your privacy rights and how Uni Panel handles personal information can be found in our Privacy and Ethics Policy.

Can I correct information that is inaccurate or out of date?

Yes. If any of the information we hold about you is inaccurate or out of date, please contact us and we will update our records. Keeping your information accurate helps us ensure that research invitations remain relevant to your expertise and interests.

Can I ask for my information to be deleted?

Yes. You can request deletion of your personal information at any time. We will process requests in accordance with applicable data protection legislation. In some circumstances, we may need to retain limited information, such as a suppression record, to ensure that you do not receive further research invitations if that is your preference.

Why do you ask about my discipline, research area or professional role?

Many research projects require highly specific audiences. Information about your discipline, role, institution and areas of expertise helps us send more relevant invitations and reduce invitations that are unlikely to be of interest.

What if my role, institution or contact details change?

Please let us know if your institution, role, country, discipline or contact details change. Keeping your profile accurate helps us ensure that invitations remain relevant to your experience and expertise.

Do you use AI?

AI is very hard to completely avoid these days and is integrated into many every day working products and services. Uni Panel may use AI-supported tools to help administer the panel, manage communications and support operational processes. Where AI-supported tools are used, Uni Panel remains responsible for how personal information is handled and appropriate safeguards are applied. Further information about our use of technology and our approach to responsible data handling is available in our Privacy and Ethics Policy.

Can colleagues join Uni Panel?

Yes. We welcome applications from researchers, academics, PhD researchers, research managers and other higher education professionals. Colleagues can email jane@uni-panel.com from their professional or institutional email address to request further information about joining.

Can I leave the panel?

Yes. You can unsubscribe from future invitations at any time by contacting info@uni-panel.com. You may also request access to, correction of or deletion of your personal information in accordance with applicable data protection law.

Are there any circumstances in which I will not get paid

In almost all cases, respondents get paid. The exceptions to this include: • If you don’t participate, or participate for only a small time • If you are not who you say you are, or you can’t provide confirmation of your identity or professional status • If the client is unable to provide incentives as part of a formal policy, is restricted by law in doing so or in very rare cases is conducting a pro-bono or cost-only project. Note that due to legal restrictions some types of incentives e.g. prize draws, are not available in all locations. We will ensure that you are aware of this when taking part.