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Reforming Research Ethics at UCL

The UCL strategic plan made a commitment to reforming our research ethics processes. We are taking steps to improve the agility and responsiveness of our service to make a positive contribution to research. To achieve this, we are developing our research ethics governance and introducing a new research ethics online application system. Find out more about the planned changes and the benefits they will bring.

Research ethics review and approval form part of the research project planning and funding management process. Ethics review is required where the research involves collecting data from human participants or the use of their data, ensuring key principles are followed to protect participants and researchers. 

Research ethics review at UCL for all high-risk applications, and low-risk ethics applications from some departments and faculties, is managed by a specialist central team within Research and Innovation Services (RIS) - the Research Ethics Service. In addition, devolved authority has been granted to Local Research Ethics Committees (LRECs) in some faculties and departments for low-risk review.

We are aiming to launch the new online application system for the start of the academic year 2024/25 for all central applications and are liaising with LRECs to agree roll out for local review.

What we are working on


Find out more about our research ethics change projects below.

Meet the team

The change project is being managed by a Product Team comprising of:

  • Gail Adams, Director of Compliance and Assurance, Research and Innovation Services - Product Manager
  • Stephanie Allison, Assistant Director, Research Ethics Service - Product Owner
  • Professor Sarah Edwards, UCL Research Ethics Committee Chair - Academic Lead
  • Elizabeth Chuck, Research Ethics Service Manager
  • Sophie Camm, Research Ethics Project Coordinator
  • Frances Smith, Agile Delivery Manager
  • Joshua Edwards, Senior Business Analyst
  • Jonny Bull, Change Manager