Research Ethics

Ethics Committee is a sub-committee of the Board of Postgraduate Studies and Research. The Ethics Committee will deal with all matters relating to research ethics policies concerning both staff and students.

In order that UKH achieves its vision of becoming “a centre of academic excellence in research and teaching”, it must have in place methods of ensuring research and teaching are carried out in the most conscientious manner possible.  Thus, UKH has adopted a handbook containing of two parts: Part A of the handbook summarises principles with the intention of raising the awareness of anyone carrying out research at UKH.  Part B describes procedures for obtaining clearance for research studies from the Ethics Committee (Ethics handbook). 
All academic staff and students must secure ethical approval for any research involving human participants, prior to data collection. This applies to everyone carrying out research under the auspices of the UKH including all employees, whether their current place of work is within or outside the University. It also applies to all visiting researchers, whether or not they are employed by the UKH, including persons with honorary positions, conducting research within, or on behalf of UKH. Moreover, most research procedures should be explained on a consent form written in simple language that is easily comprehensible by the potential research participants. The form should form part of the application for ethics approval. ( Research Ethics - consent checklist)

• Undergraduate and Master’s students

1- Prior to the conduct of any research project which uses human participants, undergraduate, and Master’s students must submit an Undergraduate & Masters Research Ethics Checklist, completed in discussion with their supervisors, and signed by both (Undergraduate & Masters Research Ethics Checklist).  This Checklist will be scrutinised by any member of the Research Ethics Committee, preferably the Chair and, if approved, will be signed and returned to the student researcher.  If not, additional clarification will be requested.

• Academic staff

2- Prior to the conduct of any research project which uses human participants, academic staff must submit an Application for Research Ethics (Academic staff Research Ethics check list) Approval to the Chair of the Research Ethics Committee.  Approval of the project will be given by agreement of a quorum of the committee members.  Suggestions for changes to the research plan, if perceived as necessary, will be relayed to the researcher.  Resubmission with explanation of how suggestions were responded to will be required before the project can be initiated.