In accordance with the principles of the Code of Ethics and Conduct of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa and in response to the recurrent requests made by the Research Centers and by the Doctoral Programs of the UCP, the Ethics Commission: Technology, Social Sciences and Humanities (CETCH) was established for the biennium 2022-2023.
The creation of the new commission complies with the intrinsic requirements of the exercise of scientific research. Ethical conduct in scientific research implies the application of values, fundamental ethical principles, norms and guidelines for good practices, as well as current legislation, in all areas applicable to research.
CETCH Ethics Committee, is available to review and approve research activities conducted by faculty and researchers affiliated with CATÓLICA-LISBON. Such review is particularly important if the research is conducted to contribute to generalizable knowledge (generalizable knowledge refers to the intent of the research to contribute to your field of study or to obtain and apply results to other settings beyond the subject population or a classroom assignment).
The CETCH Ethics Committee has monthly meetings from September to June and will seek to consider requests for opinions that are submitted up to 30 days before the meeting.
CATÓLICA-LISBON researchers interested in having their projects reviewed by the Ethics Committee should electronically submit the following documentation at the CETCH site:
- Research Protocol (detailed description including justification, objectives, design, methodology, monitoring, organization and conduct of the study, and what is expected to be assessed by the Committee);
- Project/Study Submission Form (brief description);
- Other documentation is included in the form (if applicable):
- Forms, scales, surveys or other data collection documents, with reference to the prior validation of the instrument and authorization for its use;
- Project/Study Chronogram;
- Model of the informed consent to be applied;
- Model of the written information to be provided to participants;
- Assent or authorization from the person(s) responsible for the entity(ies) where the research project/study will be developed (if applicable);
- Impact assessment on data protection, and if applicable, result of the prior consultation, or, if you consider it not necessary to carry out the impact assessment, justification of its unnecessary;
- Researchers’ statement on the confidentiality conditions of the data obtained in the strict context of the project/study, access conditions to them and the terms of their elimination;
- Declaration of conflict of interest (for example, the declaration of any connection, academic, professional or otherwise, of the researchers to the entity that sponsors their funding) (if applicable);
- Statement from the study supervisor(s) (if applicable);
- CV of the principal investigator and CV of all members of the research team (documents must be signed and dated less than one year ago);
- Other documentation or information considered relevant by the researcher or that CETCH-UCP deems necessary, namely that relating to the elements mentioned in article 16.º n.º 6 e 7 of the Clinic Research law (Law n.º 21/2014 , April 16)
The Ethics Committee will have the technical support of the Innovation and Research Office (GII) and you can contact the CETCH for more information at cetch.gii@ucp.pt.
There is no template for the research protocol, each study should provide the specific information necessary for the Committee to understand what is expected to be assessed and be able to do it. You can attach the protocol directly to the form or you can send it by e-mail.
The CETCH will have an English version of the form soon, so if you have any doubt, please contact the committee through the previous email.
The Ethics Committee is not intended to review the scientific merit of the proposal.
All research involving human subjects conducted by CATÓLICA-LISBON Tenure-track Faculty and CUBE’s Researchers is expected to be reviewed and approved by an ethics committee or institutional review board (IRB) before the research can begin.
Projects that specifically address “medical patients” should seek approval via a specialized ethics commission with specific competence in those matters (e.g. Comissão de Ética, CHLN / FMUL).
Research activities conducted as part of a course requirement do not require review by the Ethics Committee. Promoters can nevertheless apply for a review, if they deem it necessary or appropriate.
Behavioural consulting activities conducted at CATÓLICA-LISBON premises do not require, at this stage, review by the Ethics Committee. Promoters can nevertheless apply for a review, if they deem it necessary or appropriate.
The Committee is presided by the Vice Rector for research Prof. Peter Hanenberg and includes CUBE’s Professor Joana Silva among others in a total of thirteen members with different backgrounds in social sciences and humanities. Please glance over the Committee Members list here.