If you're a member of University staff or a student, you can apply for ethical approval for your research using the forms below. For guidance on which ethical approval form you need to submit, please refer to the Ethics Decision Tree diagram below. You may also need to fill out a Research Proposal Ethics Checklist.
Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body
Request approval for research that involves animals in any way.
Download AWERB ethical approval form
- Submission process and deadlines
University of Stirling ASPA handbook
The AWERB panel meets regularly throughout the year to consider ethical approval applications. See their schedule of upcoming meetings and submission deadlines below.
Meeting date Time 18 Dec 2018 10:00 – 12:00 15 Mar 2019 10:00 – 12:00 24 May 2019 10:00 – 12:00 20 Sep 2019 10:00 – 12:00 06 Dec 2019 10:00 – 12:00 Contact awerb@stir.ac.uk
- Related links
- ASPA Guidelines
- European Convention for the Protection of Vertebrate Animals used for Experimental and other Scientific Purposes (1991)
- European Convention for the Protection of Animals during International Transport (Revised) (2006)
- RCUK Guidance for funding applications involving animal research
- Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order 1997
NHS, Invasive or Clinical Research
For health/patient research and other research involving physically invasive procedures or intrusive interventions on human participants.
Download NICR ethical approval form
- Submission process and deadlines
Additional Approval
Staff and students may also need to seek NHS Research and Development and NHS Research Ethics Committee approval via the Integrated Research Application System (IRAS). If you have any questions about seeking ethical approval through IRAS, please contact us at nicr@stir.ac.uk.
Whether NHS Research Ethics Committee approval is required or not, approval through NICR should proceed as outlined below:
Staff
Staff should complete and submit an IRAS application form, then send a copy of the application (including reference number) to NICR along with their completed NICR approval coversheet.
Students
Students should complete an IRAS application form, but not submit it. Instead, they should save a copy of the IRAS PDF form and send it to us alongside their completed NICR approval coversheet for authorisation.
The NICR committee meets regularly throughout the year to consider ethical approval applications. See their schedule of upcoming meetings and submission deadlines below.
Applications due
Meeting date
27 Nov 2018
11 Dec 2018
08 Jan 2019
22 Jan 2019
12 Feb 2019
26 Feb 2019
12 Mar 2019
26 Mar 2019
09 Apr 2019
23 Apr 2019
07 May 2019
21 May 2019
11 Jun 2019
25 Jun 2019
No Jul Meeting
06 Aug 2019 20 Aug 2019
10 Sep 2019 24 Sep 2019
08 Oct 2019 22 Oct 2019
26 Nov 2019 10 Dec 2019
Applicants should make themselves available between 11:00 and 15:00 to take enquiries from committee should the need arise. Please ensure an appropriate contact telephone number is provided on your NICR coversheet.
- Related links
General University Ethics Panel
For all other research which has ethical considerations e.g. social, digital, environmental. For research involving fieldwork, a Fieldwork Risk Assessment Form must be completed.
Download GUEP ethical approval form (for staff and postgraduate research students)
Download GUEP Student Research Project Ethical Approval (for undergraduate and postgraduate taught students) and submit it to your relevant Faculty/Division contact:
- Faculty/Division contacts
Faculty of Arts and Humanities
Submit via Canvas
Institute of Aquaculture
Biological and Environmental Sciences
Computing Science and Maths
Division of Health Sciences
Division of Psychology
Faculty of Social Sciences
Division of Sport
Stirling Management School
Submit via Canvas
- Submission deadlines
The GUEP panel meets regularly throughout the year to consider ethical approval applications. See their schedule of upcoming meetings and submission deadlines below.
Applications due
Meeting date
Time
11 Jan 2019
22 Jan 2019
10:00 – 12:00
15 Feb 2019
26 Feb 2019
10:00 – 12:00
15 Mar 2019
26 Mar 2019
10:00 – 12:00
12 Apr 2019
23 Apr 2019
10:00 – 12:00
10 May 2019
21 May 2019
10:00 – 12:00
07 Jun 2019
18 Jun 2019
10:00 – 12:00
No July Meeting
02 Aug 2019
13 Aug 2019
10:00 – 12:00
06 Sep 2019
17 Sep 2019
10:00 – 12:00
04 Oct 2019
15 Oct 2019
10:00 – 12:00 01 Nov 2019
12 Nov 2019
10:00 – 12:00 06 Dec 2019
17 Dec 2019
10:00 – 12:00 Contact guep@stir.ac.uk
- Related links
- Concordat to Support Research Integrity
- European Charter for Researchers
- European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity (2011)
- RCUK Policy and Guidelines on Governance of Good Research Conduct
- Singapore Statement on Research Integrity (2010)
- University Emergency Procedures
- University Safety Policy and Procedures
- Flesch Reading Ease Readability Formula
- Gunning Fog Index
- Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)
- Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000
- BERA Ethical Guidelines for Educational Research
- British Psychological Society Ethics and Standards
- ESRC Framework for Research Ethics
- Mental Capacity Act 2005
- SERA Ethical Guidelines for Educational Research
- Social Research Association Ethical Guidelines
- Society for Research in Child Development
Right of appeal
An appeal can be made against REC decisions. In the first instance, the applicant should appeal the decision with the Chair of the REC who will review the reasoning for the decision and allow the applicant to present further arguments in favour of the proposal, with agreement from the Deputy Chair the initial decision may be altered. If the issue cannot be satisfactorily resolved at the REC level, the matter may be referred to UREC (by contacting ethics@stir.ac.uk). In these cases, UREC will respond within six weeks. The decision of UREC is final.
Ethics Decision Tree
Principles, guidance and forms
The University of Stirling is committed to ensuring that all research conducted under our auspices is in accordance with the appropriate ethical, legal and professional frameworks, obligations and standards. The University’s ethical review process exists to ensure that our research activities continue to fulfil high ethical standards as well as legal obligations and safety standards.
The University’s guidelines for research ethics committees draw on the requirements of a number of institutions including; the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Framework for Research Ethics, the provisions of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA), the British Psychological Society, the UK Research Integrity Office (UKRIO) and other institutions to which the University is accountable. Due cognisance of both University and discipline-specific ethical standards and norms for practice-based research should be taken.
Please click on the following links to download the ethics guidance and forms you require:
- Ethics guidance documents
Research Ethics: Definitions, Principles and Responsibilities
Research Ethics: Definition of Key Terms
Ethical Considerations for internet-mediated research
Applying a proportionate approach to the process of seeking consent (HRA Guidance)
Ethical Considerations for Action Research
Ethical Considerations for Practitioner Research
Ethical Considerations for Visual Research Methods
Collaborative Research Guidance
- Ethics forms
Research Proposal Ethics Checklist
AWERB Research Proposal Ethical Approval form (staff and students)
GUEP Research Proposal Ethical Approval form (staff and postgraduate research students)
GUEP Student Research/Project Ethics Approval form (undergraduate and postgraduate taught students)
SMS 4th year UG and PGT Risk assessment form
NICR Research Proposal Ethical Approval form (staff and students)
- Ethics template documents
These are template documents and should be adapted to suit your research and intended research participants.
Participant information sheet (Staff and PGRs)
Participant Information Sheet (UG and PGTs)
Participant Recruitment Guidelines
Participant Information Sheet Online Survey (Staff and PGRs)
Participant Information Sheet Online Survey (UG and PGTs)
- Approved protocols
If using one of the below approved protocols please apply to GUEP (General University Ethics Panel) - unless the research involves NHS patients or other invasive procedures, in which case apply to NICR. Please make reference to the approved protocol that you will be using within your application for approval.
Protocol-EEG-Complete Guidance
Protocol-Use of Research Tokens for Undergraduate Students
Protocol-BioPAC/Physiological recordings for psychological research
If you will be undertaking research within the University's Kindergarten please refer to their established and approved procedures - these are for internal staff and students only.
If using one of the below approved protocols please apply to the University's NICR (NHS, Invasive and Clinical Research) review panel making reference to the approved protocol in your application.
Protocol-Alcohol consumption in Adults Volunteers
Please note that the University's ethics panels welcome the use of protocols where appropriate. Please put forward protocols for approval to the relevant panel.
Contact us
If you have a general question about our ethics policies and procedures, please get in touch.
© University of Stirling