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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 , 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 . 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.

The terms of reference of the SPACE Research Ethics Committee are available here.

Downloadable information and forms

University Research Governance Framework

SPACE Research Ethics Committee 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 2009-10 to be agreed

Committee membership

Ms Roslyn Barnes, Secretary

Mr Ian Kirkpatrick, Lay member

Mr Keith McAllister, Lecturer

Dr Ruth McAreavey, Lecturer

Dr Jenny Muir, Lecturer

Dr Brendan Murtagh, Reader (Chair)

Dr Luc Rock, Lecturer

SREC Terms of Reference