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Article History

Received: 10 December 2024

Accepted: 28 November 2025

First Online: 19 December 2025

Competing interests

: The author declares no competing interests.

: This study received ethical approval from the Ethics Review Board of the School of Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering and Management, University of Manchester (UoM). Ethical clearance was granted under Case Number: 11114148, dated October 4, 2022. At the University of Manchester, researchers must use the Ethics Decision Tool (EDT) to determine whether formal approval is required. As the present study involved human participants, an application was submitted through the Ethical Review Manager (ERM) system and reviewed according to the University’s standard ethical review routes (Division/School, Proportionate UREC, Full UREC), depending on risk level. The research was assessed as low risk and approved accordingly by the Faculty of Engineering and Management with no need to proceed with Proportionate UREC, and Full UREC. The ethical approval covered all aspects of the study, including the recruitment of participants, distribution of questionnaires, conduct of interviews, data collection, archiving, and analysis. Participants in this study were students at the University of Manchester. Prior to the distribution of the questionnaire, the Faculty of Engineering and Management reviewed and approved the survey instrument to ensure compliance with institutional ethical standards. All participants received an information sheet outlining the purpose, procedures, and voluntary nature of the study. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants before data collection. Participants were informed of their right to withdraw from the study at any time without any consequences. They were also assured that no incentives were provided for participation. To protect anonymity and privacy, all identifying information such as names and student IDs was excluded from the transcripts. The consent process, including the collection and storage of signed consent forms, was thoroughly documented and securely archived. All procedures involving human participants adhered to the ethical standards of the University of Manchester, the Declaration of Helsinki (1964) and its subsequent amendments, as well as all relevant institutional and national regulations.

: Participants’ consent was obtained in two stages between 9 th October- 25 th December 2022. Stage 1: Oral Consent Prior to distributing the questionnaire, the researcher individually approached potential participants (university students) during the week commencing 9 th October 2022, and explained the study’s purpose, scope, and voluntary nature. Students were informed that their participation was entirely optional and that they could withdraw at any stage without any negative consequences. Only those who expressed interest and provided oral agreement to participate were included. Oral consent was used at this stage to gauge willingness before scheduling a convenient time for questionnaire completion in a relaxed, pressure-free environment. A record of those who verbally agreed was kept in a non-identifiable manner (e.g., coded list) for administrative purposes only. Stage 2: Written Consent Formal written consent was obtained through the first page of the questionnaire. This page included detailed information about the study, including the researcher’s name and affiliation, the purpose of the research, and clear assurances regarding participant confidentiality and anonymity. Participants were informed that: • Their data would be used solely for academic research purposes. • No identifying information (such as names, student IDs, or contact details) would be collected or stored. • Their participation involved no foreseeable risks. • They could withdraw from the study or skip any question at any time. Before proceeding to the questionnaire items, participants were required to confirm their understanding and agreement by selecting the consent option provided on the form. All participants were fully informed of the nature, objectives, and intended use of the research data. As per the University of Manchester’s ethical guidelines, the collected data will not be shared with any external parties. Should external researchers wish to access the dataset, they must formally request permission from the University of Manchester. Only with the University’s approval can the corresponding author share the anonymised data. All consent forms and related documentation have been securely archived in accordance with institutional data protection and ethical standards.