About

About Us

The University of Kelaniya is committed to excellence in research that would benefit both humanity and the environment and thereby contribute to the sustainable existence of the human race globally and in Sri Lanka. The Ethics Review Committee of the University of Kelaniya was established in 2016, with the aim of promoting high quality research and is dedicated to maintain the highest ethical standards as enshrined in its vision and mission.

ERC of University of Kelaniya covers several aspects of research ethics of the research conducted by the Faculties of Commerce and Management, Computing and technology, Graduate Studies, Humanities, Science and Social Sciences.

Objectives

The objectives of the Guidelines for the Ethical Review of Research Proposals / Protocols are:

To provide the ethical principles and practical guidelines that would direct the reviewing of research proposals / protocols by the ERC,
To institute the TOR and the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the functioning of the ERC,and
to establish the core principles, codes of conduct and research practices to guide researchers in designing and conducting research according to accepted ethical standards.

Overall Function of ERC

The Ethics Review Committee of the University of Kelaniya is established:

To be an independent body reporting directly to the Vice Chancellor of the University of Kelaniya
To protect the mental and physical welfare, rights, dignity, diversity and safety of human participants and animals utilized in research;
To ensure that researchers safeguard personal and professional integrity, maintain the highest levels of competence, adhere to the highest standards of quality, follow the highest ethical standards / conduct, and accept their professional and social responsibilities;
To facilitate ethical research through efficient and effective review and monitoring processes, and
To promote ethical standards of research and to review research in accordance with the ERC’s Ethical Principles for Research and Research Proposal/Protocol Review and the Reviewer Guidelines/Checklist for Ethical Research, as well as the Guidelines of the Forum of Ethics Review Committees in Sri Lanka (FERCSL Guidelines) and other relevant national and international guidelines.

The committee will provide independent guidance, advice, and decision (in the form of “approval/recommendation/stipulation/disapproval”) on research proposals and other specific research protocols.