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School Research Ethics Committee

Welcome to the SPACE Research Ethics Committee (SREC) webpage where you will find all the necessary forms and guidance notes on completing your research governance and ethics applications. All research conducted in the School of Planning Architecture and Civil Engineering must be performed to the highest standards. All research with ethical implications is required to undergo research governance and ethics procedures. This will normally include all research involving human subjects and potentially other research with ethical implications such as staff safety, environmental impact or potential conflict of interest due to funding sources.

Please note: Research requiring access to Health or Social Services patients, clients, data or buildings must be submitted to a Health and Personal Social Services REC via the Office of Research Ethics Committees NI (ORECNI). It is possible that some projects within SPACE could meet these criteria. If ethical approval is granted by a HPSS REC, additional approval by a University REC is not required. Further guidance is available from the Research Policy Office.

The University has detailed its regulations on research involving human participants in the Research Governance Framework document shown below. Research MUST NOT commence until governance and ethical clearance has been granted. For a summary of the school's procedures please see the document Ethics: a brief guide, below.

The forms and guidance below relate to governance and ethical procedures for staff and PhD research projects. Undergraduate and MSc students will undergo a shortened version of these in consideration of the duration and type of research they will usually conduct.

There are three parts to your application:

Stage 1 refers to governance and incorporates a peer review of your proposed research (see Gov 1 Peer Review form).

Stage 2 includes completion of an application form to the SREC and completion of the Gov 2 Ethics Review Checklist. Your application will be considered by the SREC at this stage and you will be invited to attend.

Once ethical approval is granted:

Stage 3 involves sponsorship of the research (usually by the University – see the Gov 3 form Request for Sponsorship) and the logging of the project by the chief investigator under ‘my research’ on Queen’s Online.

 

Downloadable information and forms

University Research Governance Framework    

SREC Terms of Reference  

Gov 1 Peer Review Form    
Gov 2 Ethics Review Checklist  
SPACE Ethics Application Form    
Gov 3 Request For Sponsorship    
Sample Consent form    
Sample Information sheet    

 

Dates for SREC meetings

Dates for the academic year 2012-13 to be agreed

 

Committee membership

Ms Roslyn Barnes, Secretary
Mr Ian Kirkpatrick, Lay member
Mr Keith McAllister, Lecturer (Vive Chair)
Dr Ruth McAreavey, Lecturer
Dr Brendan Murtagh, Reader (Chair)
Dr Gehan Selim, Lecturer
Mr John Spillane, Lecturer