Request ethical approval

If you're a member of University staff or a student, you can apply for ethical approval through the University's Ethical Review Manager.

Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body

Request approval for research that involves animals in any way.

Submission process and deadlines for AWERB

The AWERB panel meets regularly throughout the year to consider ethical approval applications. See their schedule of upcoming meetings below.

Applications are reviewed weekly, we aim to have an outcome within 10 working days. Please submit your application through ERM.

Meeting dates and submission deadlines
Meeting date  
08 Dec 2023  
15 March 2024  
21 June 2024  
13 Sep 2024  
06 Dec 2024  

Contact awerb@stir.ac.uk

NHS, Invasive or Clinical Research

For health/patient research and other research involving physically invasive procedures or intrusive interventions on human participants.

Submission process and deadlines for NICR

Additional Approval

Approval through NICR should proceed as outlined below.

Staff applying to IRAS

Staff applying through IRAS for ethical approval of their study should complete and submit an IRAS application form. Staff do not require NICR approval before they submit through IRAS.

Once submitted staff should also lodge details of their IRAS application through the Ethics Review Manager (ERM) where they will be asked to upload a PDF copy of their IRAS application.

Students

Students should complete an IRAS application form, but not submit it. Instead, they should save a copy of the IRAS PDF form and submit it through ERM for review by the NICR Panel. Only once NICR have granted approval for submission through IRAS should the application be submitted.

You must discuss with the appropriate NHD R&D Office as to whether NHS R&D approval ONLY is required, or whether NHS R&D and NHS REC approval is required, and seek guidance from them as to the subsequent application process.

The NICR panel meets regularly throughout the year to consider ethical approval applications. See their schedule of upcoming meetings and submission deadlines below.

Application and meeting deadlines

 Applications due

(5pm)

Meeting date        

20 Nov 2023 12 Dec 2024
08 Jan 2024 23 Jan 2024
05 Feb 2024 20 Feb 2024
11 Mar 2024 26 Mar 2024
15 April 2024 30 April 2024
13 May 2024 28 May 2024
10 June 2024 25 June 2024
No July meeting  No July meeting 
05 Aug 2024 20 Aug 2024
02 Sep 2024 17 Sep 2024
23 Sep 2024 10 Oct 2024
28 Oct 2024 12 Nov 2024
25 Nov 2024 10 Dec 2024

General University Ethics Panel

For all other research which has ethical considerations, for example social, digital, environmental.

Faculty/Division contacts

Faculty of Arts and Humanities

Submit via ERM

Institute of Aquaculture

Submit via ERM

Biological and Environmental Sciences

Submit via ERM

Computing Science and Maths

Submit via ERM

Psychology

Submit via ERM

Faculty of Social Sciences

Submit via ERM

Sport

Submit via ERM

Stirling Management School

Submit via ERM

Health Sciences

Submit via ERM

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.

Application deadlines and meeting dates
Applications due (5pm) Meeting date
17 November 2023 05 December 2023 
08 January 2024 23 January 2024
02 February 2024 22 February 2024 
01 March 2024 19 March 2024
05 April 2024 23 April 2024
03 May 2024 21 May 2024
31 May 2024 18 June 2024
28 June 2024 16 July 2024
26 July 2024 13 August 2024
23 August 2024 10 September 2024 
21 September 2024 08 October 2024
18 October 2024 05 November 2024
15 November 2024 03 December 2024

Contact guep@stir.ac.uk

Right of appeal

Researchers wishing to appeal against the decision of one of the Research Ethics Panels (REP) should, in the first instance, appeal the decision with the Chair of the REP. The Chair 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 REP level, the appellant should appeal in writing to the Committee Manager of the University Research Ethics Committee (ethics@stir.ac.uk) within 10 working days of receiving the REP decision. 

Details of the UREC appeals process are described in the Research Ethics Review Appeals Procedure

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.

As part of our commitment to ensuring all research carried out at, or through, the University of Stirling meets our ethical standards, all student dissertations - both undergraduate and postgraduate taught - are considered for ethical implications.

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.

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

Protocol-fNIRS

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-Max Strength Test

Protocol-Muscle Biopsy

Protocol-Urine/Blood Sampling

Protocol-Alcohol consumption in Adults Volunteers

Protocol-tDCS

Protocol Adipose Tissue Biopsy

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.