Apply to Animal Ethics Experimentation Committee (AEEC)

If you wish to apply to AEEC (Animal Ethics Experimentation Committee), you will need to contact this committee directly for their manuals and forms.

Apply to Clinical Research Ethics Committee (CREC)

If you wish to apply to CREC (Clinical Research Ethics Committee), you will need to contact this committee directly for their manuals and forms.

Apply to Social Research Ethics Committee (SREC)

SREC at UCC considers itself an enabling committee, promoting strong research ethics amongst UCC’s community of staff and student researchers. SREC is open to all types of research in the social research domain.

SREC reviews ethical applications from UCC staff and postgraduate research students. SREC does not accept applications from non-UCC applicants or from undergraduate students. In general, applications from taught postgraduate students are managed at School/Department level.

Currently accepts applications on a rolling basis (without deadline). Please submit an application to srec@ucc.ie

Please make sure that you give yourself a good lead-time in applying for ethics approval. Normally applicants should expect to hear from SREC within 2 to 4 weeks with a decision within 6-10 weeks. A substantial increase in the volume of applications may result in some additional delays with the reviewing process. However, every effort is made to process applications as quickly as possible.

Appeals Procedure

University College Cork UEC Research Ethics Review Appeals Procedure (Version 2.0, Updated 28/01/2026)

Introduction | Grounds for Appeal | How to Lodge an Appeal | Appeal Panel | Appeals Procedure

Introduction

The University Ethics Committee (UEC) is committed to upholding the responsibilities of the University and the research community with respect to the conduct of research, including principles of good practice, ethical approval, competence, responsibility, integrity, rights and dignity of research participants, data management and dissemination. By having an appeals procedure, the UEC is not expecting or soliciting appeals and this procedure should only be invoked when all avenues with the relevant UEC ethics sub-committee through its chair, have been exhausted. The procedure applies to any researcher / research team, who wishes to appeal the decision made by a UCC research ethics sub-committee. A Supervisor / Principal Investigator may bring forward an appeal on a student’s /students' behalf in accordance with the procedures set out below.

Grounds for Appeal

The grounds for appeal areas are as follows:

A. There were procedural irregularities in the review process where the committee may not have reached the same conclusion had these not occurred.

B. There is evidence or grounds for allegation of inadequate review in the review conducted.

How to Lodge an Appeal

The researcher / PI wishing to appeal a decision of UCC’s Constituent Research Ethics Sub- Committees (AEEC / CREC / SREC) should notify the UEC secretary (ethics@ucc.ie) in writing within 15 working days of the notification of the decision made by the ethics committee, which is the subject of the appeal. The following information should be included:

1. The title of the proposed research topic and the name of the lead researcher or supervisor as appropriate.
2. The reference number if one was assigned to the application, which is the subject of the appeal.
3. The date of the decision made and the name of the committee, which is the subject of the appeal.
4. The grounds for appeal (specified with reference to those identified above).
5. Any supporting documentary evidence to support the appeal.

Composition of the Appeal Panel

The Chair of UEC will decide whether they are the most appropriate person to chair the appeal panel. In the case of a conflict of interest, the Chair of UEC will refer the appeal to the Vice President for Research and Innovation / UCC Research Integrity Officer, and unless there is a conflict of interest on their part also, one of them will chair the panel.

Where the appeal is based on a valid ground of appeal, a suitable panel to consider the appeal (the appeal panel) will be assembled by the chair based on the subject area of the project and drawn from the UEC and/or other disciplinary or other experts (internal / external to the university), as deemed necessary/appropriate. Appeal panel members will be required to have no previous involvement with an application, which is the subject of an appeal.

The appeal panel will be supported by the UEC Secretary who will request and supply all the relevant information from the local ethics sub-committee that made original decision, as well as any additional information that may be deemed relevant.

The Appeals Procedure

The appeal process will consist of four steps:

• a discussion of the decision appealed;
• a review of the evidence;
• a considered decision;
• a communication of this decision.

The appeal panel will consider an appeal in such manner as it deems appropriate to the circumstances of the case, having regard to fairness, due process, the UCC Code of Research Conduct and other related university policy and guidance. The appeal panel shall, subject to above, process appeals as quickly as is reasonably possible.

The appeal panel shall determine the appeal and make whatever decision it considers appropriate in the circumstances. The appeal panel shall have power to revoke or amend the decision of the human ethics committee (i.e., CREC/SREC) that made the original decision in full or part or make such other direction as it sees fit (e.g., direct the relevant committee to reconsider the position). In the case of AEEC (animal research), the appeal panel may direct the relevant committee to reconsider their position.

Both the researcher who submitted the appeal and the chair of the relevant ethics sub- committee will be notified of the decision of the appeal panel in writing.

The appeal panel chair will ensure that any institutional obligations and/or relevant contractual obligations to research funding bodies and partner institutions are met, which may include notifying them of the appeal and its finding / recommendation.

The decision of the appeal panel is final.