Faculty Research Ethics Committees

AHC FREC

Questions relating to AHC ethics applications should be directed to: [email protected]. Please cite your research ethics project I.D. number in the subject line of all emails.

Questions relating to potential ethics applications and ethical issues should be directed to your School Ethics Lead in the first instance.

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BESS+ FREC

BESS+ FREC is a cross-faculty research ethics committee reviewing applications from the Faculties of Business, Environment and Social Sciences. Its members include School and Scholarship Ethics Leads and student representatives.  The Committee can also include co-opted members who are there in an advisory capacity as their knowledge and experience would be helpful to the Committee's work.

Membership

Chair: Professor Judith Hanks, School of Education, Faculty of Social Sciences

Deputy Chairs:

Dr Laura Smith, Earth & Environment
Dr Shankha Basu, Marketing, LUBS

Scholarship Ethics Lead: Richard de Blacquière-Clarkson

Ethics Leads for the Faculty of Environment
TBC - School of Earth & Environment
Dr Radhika Borde, School of Geography
Dr Ruth Madigan, Institute for Transport Studies
Dr Mark Hopkins, and Dr Laeticia Lichtenstein  School of Food Science & Nutrition

Ethics Leads for the Faculty of Business (Leeds University Business School (LUBS))

Dr Zinovijus (Zyama) Ciupijus, People, Work & Employment
Dr Joshua Weller, Economics and Management
Dr Nahid Ibrahim, Management
Stacey Mottershaw, Management
Dr Dionysus (Dion) Ang, Marketing
Dr Hanh Pham, International Business

Ethics Leads for the Faculty of Social Sciences
Dr Anne-Sophie Jung, School of Politics & International Studies
Dr Huahui Zhao, School of Education
Dr Miro Griffiths and Professor Kahryn Hughes, Sociology & Social Policy
Dr Laurene Soubise, Law

Co-opted Member: Dr Michael (Mick) Walker

Student Representatives
LUBS: Bowen Li
Faculty of Social Sciences (shared role): Marianne Talbot and Sameerah Mahmood
Faculty of Environment: Gazi Laila

Questions relating to BESS+ ethics applications should be directed to: [email protected]

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FMH FREC

Chair: Dr Julia Csikar (School of Dentistry)

School Chairs
Dentistry: Dr Sophy Barber
Healthcare: Dr Fiona Meth
Medicine: Dr Klaus Witte
Psychology: Dr. Rachel Coats

Deputy Chairs
Medicine: Dr Cedric Duval
Psychology: Dr. Holly Brown 

Lay Member: [Vacant]

In Attendance
OD&PL Representative: Dr Emily Goodall
R&I Operations Manager (Dentistry): Julie McDermott
Psychology Technician: Abi Cairnswood

Note: Oversight of research ethics applications within FMH is undertaken at school-level by the following research ethics committees (REC):

• School of Dentistry (DREC)
• School of Healthcare (SHREC)
• School of Medicine (SoMREC)
• School of Psychology (SoPREC)

Questions relating to ethics applications for the School of Medicine and School of Healthcare should be directed to: [email protected]

The School of Dentistry and and the School of Psychology have a local submission process - please contact them directly.

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Faculty Research Ethics Committee

Terms of Reference and Membership

Purpose

1.  The Faculty Research Ethics Committee is responsible to the University Research Ethics Committee for ensuring that all research conducted within the faculty is carried out in accordance with the law, the University’s values, policies and processes; complies with relevant legislation and regulatory frameworks; and is done to the highest standards of academic and professional integrity.

2. The Committee is also responsible for fostering and promoting the highest standards of ethical conduct in research to support the reputation of the University as a centre for world-class research, in line with the University’s commitment to the UUK Concordat to Support Research Integrity and in adherence with the University’s Research Ethics Policy, Freedom of Expression Policy and any other relevant policies.

3. The Committee oversees the ethical review process for activities from University staff, students and affiliated researchers, which include research with significant ethical dimensions, in particular research involving human participants and/or their data; human tissue; animals; data collection using online resources; the development or use of Artificial Intelligence; research conducted outside the UK; research with the potential for adverse environmental impact; and research that poses risks to the safety, wellbeing and reputation of the research team members and/or the institution.

Terms of Reference

Ethical Review

4. To ensure that all relevant research is submitted for ethics review and that appropriate ethical consideration is given in an independent, timely and competent manner, adhering to all relevant University and regulatory guidelines.

5. To provide guidance and support on ethical issues to all applicants in order to safeguard the ethical conduct of research within the Faculty, ensure the protection of researchers and research participants and uphold the integrity of the research process.

6. To update and disseminate research ethics-related policy, process and guidance, with a view to raising stakeholder awareness and understanding of the processes relating to research ethics review, approval and governance.

7. To advise on and provide recommendations to the University Research Ethics Committee on the development of new policies, processes and guidance relating to research governance, ethics review and approval and compliance.

8. To identify and assess ethical risks in new and emerging research areas and technologies and to inform new policy and process.

9. To consider and promote processes that ensure research risks, including for high-risk projects, are managed and/or mitigated appropriately.

10. To provide advice on any ethical matters relating to research that are referred to it from schools, departments or institutes covered by the Committee and to make decisions on applications/issues that cannot be resolved at local level.

11. To refer complex or highly sensitive issues to the University Research Ethics Committee for advice or review.

12. To promote best practice in matters of research ethics and integrity through training and raising awareness.

13. To communicate with other Committees, in particular Faculty Research Ethics Committees and Faculty Research and Innovation Committees, where issues of common interest are concerned.

14. To enable individuals within the Faculty to raise concerns in matters of research ethics and integrity for consideration by the Committee.

15. To reject, withdraw or suspend approval, whenever necessary, of a research project due to serious concerns regarding its ethical approach.

Monitoring and Reporting

16. To report annually to the University Research Ethics Committee, providing an overview of activities and outcomes to ensure transparency and accountability of the research ethics review processes, identify trends and patterns in ethical issues arising from research and to inform future practice and policy development.

17. To undertake spot check audits of research which have received ethical approval to ensure compliance with ethical standards and practices and to mitigate any ethical or reputational risk in the conduct of research.

18. To consider termly application data from Phoenix, the University’s electronic research ethics application system, to help inform and improve ethical practices across the Faculty Research Ethics Committee.

19. To establish any sub-groups as required to deliver/monitor specific areas of the Committee’s remit and to receive reports and updates from such groups as needed.

Membership

20. The membership of the Committee is as follows:

Chair

Deputy Chair/s (where appointed)

Ethics Lead (one from each School/Institute/Department as applicable within the Faculty)

Co-opted members (up to four) for a 3-year term, reflecting the Committee’s current requirements.

Student Representatives (up to two)

In attendance: a representative each from Organisational Development and Professional Learning, the Library and Research Ethics Team.

Frequency of Meetings

21. The Committee should meet a minimum of three times per academic year and may convene ad hoc meetings if necessary.

Meeting Quorum

22. The Committee is considered quorate with a minimum of two fifths of members present.

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