National Taiwan Normal University Guidelines for the Research Ethics Governance Framework
2014.11.26 Passed during the 346th Administrative Meeting 2015.3.18 Amendments passed during the 347th Administrative Meeting 2015.11.25 Amendments passed during the 350th Administrative Meeting 2019.12.27 Amendments Passed during the 366th Administrative Meeting
I. National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) established the research ethics governance framework (hereinafter referred to as the "Framework”) and these Guidelines (hereinafter referred to as the "Guidelines") in accordance with the Human Subjects Research Act, in order to properly conduct research with human subjects.
II. The Framework comprises the Research Ethics Advisory Committee, Research Ethics Review Committee, Research Ethics Grievances Committee, and Research Ethics Center.
III. NTNU shall establish the following committees to protect rights and interests of research subjects:
(I) Research Ethics Advisory Committee (hereinafter referred to as the
"Advisory Committee"): The Advisory Committee is a functional committee that aims to protect the rights and interests of research participants, decide NTNU's ethics policy, audit operations of the Research Ethics Review Committee and Research Ethics Center, and provide improvement recommendations and plan related affairs. The Advisory Committee is formed by the Vice President of the Office of Research and Development, chairperson of the Research Ethics Review Committee, and 5-7 internal and external experts in research ethics. The Vice President of the Office of Research and Development and chairperson of the Research Ethics Review Committee are ex-officio members, and the Vice President of the Office of Research and Development serves as the convener. For the remaining members, the Research Ethics Review Committee shall recommend 6-8 candidates for the president to select and appoint 3-5 members. The guidelines shall be separately established.
(II) Research Ethics Review Committee (hereinafter referred to as the "Ethics Review Committee"): The Ethics Review Committee is a university-level functional committee, and Vice President of Office of Research and Development or above (inclusive) shall not be the chairperson of the Research Ethics Review Committee or influence the review of committee
members and any decision made in the review meetings to ensure the independence of review. The review of the Ethics Review Committee is not improperly influenced by affiliated research institution, project hosts, and sponsor. Multiple Research Ethics Review Committees may be formed based on requirements, and the establishment guidelines, scope of review, and standard operating procedures shall be separately prescribed.
(III) Research Ethics Grievances Committee (hereinafter referred to as the
"Grievances Committee"): The Grievances Committee is a university-level functional committee. Its main mission is to handle complaints of NTNU's Ethics Review Committee raised by research participants, or matters relating to the rights and interests of other research project participants.
Guidelines for establishing the Grievances Committee shall be separately prescribed.
IV. NTNU established a Research Ethics Center under the Office of Research and Development to handle administrative affairs relating to research ethics:
(I) The Research Ethics Center supports the Advisory Committee, Ethics Review Committee, and Grievances Committee in handling administrative affairs relating to research ethics review, advisory and grievances, management and follow-up, and training related to research projects.
(II) The Research Ethics Center shall have one director responsible for implementing the Center's affairs. The Research Ethics Center may hire several administrative personnel. The regulations for the Center's establishment and standard operating procedures shall be separately prescribed.
V. Source of funds: Funding for the Research Ethics Center shall be provided from the ethics account of the Office of Research and Development. The Advisory Committee, Ethics Review Committee, and Grievances Committee shall raise their own funds.
VI. These Guidelines has been passed with resolutions sought from an Administrative Meeting, and implemented with the approval of the President.
The same applies to all subsequent amendments.
