The University expects its employees, or any other person conducting research on University premises, to follow the University’s normal expectations of good practice in research. This includes taking all reasonable steps to ensure that ethical conduct of research involving human participants and personal data.
To facilitate this, the research ethics webpage provides:
Ethics Policies and Procedures
- The University Ethics Policy: sets out high-level expectations and provides guidance for ethical decision making regarding research involving human participants and personal data.
- The University Research Ethics Committee (UREC): oversees the research ethics framework at the University. It considers policies, procedures and guidance regarding ethical issues arising from research that involves human participants and personal data.
- The School-level and department/faculty-level RECs (RECs): provide ethical review of research projects involving human participants and personal data.
- The Research Ethics Review Appeals Procedure: explains the process for making an appeal against decisions made by a University REC. It also lists the reasons for making an appeal.
Ethical review framework
- Before starting research involving human participants or personal data as the subject of their research, you should think about ethical risks of their work.
- If more than minimal ethical risk exists, you should normally seek ethical review from the appropriate University REC before starting the research.
- For guidance on the ethical review application process, visit the website or email the contact person of the relevant research ethics committee.
Guidance and Resources
- This webpage provides high-level guidance, advice and resources about ethical review and compiles external guidance and resources from funders and professional associations.
- Visit the website or email the contact person of relevant research ethics committee to seek guidance on the ethical review application process.
Animal Research
- Visit the Animals in Research and University Biomedical Services websites for policies and information about the ethical review of research involving animals.