NCCU Office of Research and Development

Introduction to ethics review

Q1: What is the difference between research ethics and academic ethics?

A1: Both research ethics and academic ethics are professional codes of conduct to be upheld by research personnel. Nevertheless, the two differ in focus. The former focuses on the issues of privacy, confidentiality and anonymity and emphasizes the importance of protecting research participant rights and interests, while the latter is practiced to prevent and identify inappropriate research behavior, such as fabrication, falsification and plagiarism.

Q2: Under what circumstances are research ethics reviews applicable?

A2: All studies involving “human subject research” under MOST Academic Research Programs are encouraged to be submitted for research ethics review. Human subject research refers to systematic investigation or knowledge-based activities in the behavioral sciences that involves using data obtained through intervention or interaction with individuals or groups, or using personally identifiable information.

Q3: Will the Ministry of Science and Technology prompt principal investigators to submit their projects for ethics review?

A3: Yes. The pilot program launched in the second phase of 2013 proceeds as follows: All projects deemed by members of the MOST academic review board to be subject to research ethics review shall be submitted for ethics review by the delegate review boards at respective universities in accordance with the applicable procedures.

Review process and

review fees

Q4: How does a principal investigator determine the review category?

A4: Please refer to the NCCU Research Ethics Center website (Homepage/Researchers/First Time Submissions/Submission Procedures) http://rec.nccu.edu.tw/files/archive/304_f3853431.pdf

Q5: Is student information collected for official use (e.g. course enrollment of active students or alumni, clubs or medical records) subject to research ethics review prior to use?

A5: Yes, if the information is to be used for research purposes.

Q6: Are principal investigators permitted to submit projects for review if they are foreign nationals?

A6: In the event the principal investigator is not a citizen of the Republic of China, one or more academics who are citizens of the Republic of China are required to join the project as co-investigators before it can be submitted for research ethics review.

Q7: Are projects that clearly fulfill the exemption criteria (e.g. the NHI database with all links removed) eligible for exemption from review?

A7: Whether a research project fulfills the exemption criteria is determined by the initial assessment of the NCCU Research Ethics Center and the approval of the convener of the Board. “Exemption” does not mean that a project may be completely exempted from review. The term refers to “exemption from collective discussions involving all members or reviews by individual members.”

Q8: When do I apply? How long does the review process take?

A8: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Application packages can be submitted to the NCCU Research Ethics Review Board for review after all required documents are collected and completed. The average durations of review processes based on past experience are listed as follows:

(1)  5 to 7 working days for projects under exempt review

(2)  15 to 17 working days for projects under minimal risk review

(3)  40 to 42 working days for projects under greater than minimal risk review

Q9: Do projects involving long-term monitoring beyond the scope of one year or extended one-year projects (e.g. subsidized one-year MOST projects that are not yet completed and are therefore extended) have to be re-submitted for research ethics review?

Q10: Which institution will be providing subsidies for project review fees? How are subsidies allocated?