Research Ethics Committee

Home » Faculty of Health Sciences » Research Ethics Committee

About the REC

The Research Ethics Committee (REC) is located in the Faculty of Health Sciences and serves the research ethics needs of all staff and students in the Faculty. This includes both qualification (undergraduate, masters and Doctoral) and non-qualification research. The REC has an undergraduate sub-committee devoted to the review and oversight of undergraduate research. The REC does accept external applications in addition to Faculty research.

The REC and undergraduate sub-committee meet once a month. There are currently 14 members of the undergraduate sub-committee and 26 members of the REC representing a broad range of disciplines from within the Faculty.

  • All research proposals initially undergo a preliminary review in order to determine whether they are low risk or greater than low risk.
  • Based on this determination, proposals enter either an expedited (low risk) or full (greater than low risk) review process.
  • Typically, expedited reviews take approximately 21 days while full reviews take approximately 26 days from research proposal submission to issuing of an ethical clearance letter.
  • These are averages and extensive revision of research proposals or repeat review should be expected to take longer.
  • Ethical clearance for all approved research must be renewed every 12 months from the date of clearance.

The REC is registered with the National Health Research Ethics Council (REC-241112-035).