Research and knowledge exchange

Responsibilities for Ethical Review of Research

This page gives an overview of responsibilities of the key roles for ethical review of research at the University

All research at the University falls under the Research Governance Framework.

Role	Description
Research Supervisors	'have a responsibility to ensure that the highest standards of research integrity, governance and ethical practice are met, that research activities are undertaken in compliance with the Code of Practice for Research by staff and students under their supervision, and to seek to foster a culture of openness and professional integrity in research practice.'
School Research Ethics Officer (SREO)	'to provide informed, independent and timely ethics review of UG and PGT projects within a culture of honesty and respect for participants, the environment and the full range of stakeholders of University research. This role will also include provision of guidance and awareness-raising amongst colleagues and students as appropriate..' MORE
Cross Schools Research Ethics Committee (C-REC) Member	'to carry out independent and informed review of the ethical design of research projects from across those Schools which are relevant to the C-REC, and to bring specific expertise to the review process from the School that the member represents. The C-REC member will also take a lead role in promoting research integrity and good practice in research ethics across their School, and the University more widely.' MORE
Cross Schools Research Ethics Committee (C-REC) Chair	'The Chair as leader of the C-REC is responsible for the Committee’s ethics review function, and ensuring responsive, independent, and informed consideration of the ethical design of research from schools within the cluster. The Chair will also take a lead role in promoting a culture of research integrity across the Schools. The Chair will receive support, and work closely, with the Research Ethics, Integrity and Governance Administrator, C-REC members and SREOs' MORE
Cross-Schools Research Ethics Committee (C-REC)	'to provide independent review of the ethical design of research, on behalf of the University in accordance with the principles and values of the Code of Conduct for Research and the standards of the Concordat to Support Research Integrity and as indicated in the University’s ethics review framework' 'to review, facilitate and encourage consistently high-quality ethical research in accordance with the standards of good practice across the disciplines of the academic schools represented on the committee.' 'to ensure, on behalf of the Research Ethics and Integrity Committee, that good practice is shared and that an understanding of high-quality ethical research practice is valued and recognised as a fundamental quality of a skilled researcher at the University of Sussex...' MORE
Research Ethics and Integrity Committee (REIC)	' To keep under review and recommend University policies on issues related to: - ensuring integrity in all University research - upholding the principles of ethical research in all its forms (...)' 'to consider and offer guidance on cases of uncertainty and make decisions on cases which cannot be resolved by the Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body (AWERB) or any one of the C-RECs; to hear appeals from applicants relating to decisions of those Committees;' MORE

Current role descriptions:

Schools Research Ethics Officer

Cross Schools Research Ethics Committee (C-REC) Member

Cross Schools Research Ethics Committee (C-REC) Chair

Research Ethics and Integrity Administrator

Terms of Reference:

Cross-Schools Research Ethics Committees (C-REC)

Research Ethics and Integrity Committee (REIC)