Research Governance

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Research Governance includes regulations, principles and standards of good practice that exist to achieve and continuously improve research quality which are set out in the LJMU Research Ethics and Governance Standard Operating Procedures. The standard operating procedures cover requirements and processes for research ethics, LJMU Research Governance Approval, HRA Approval, HMPPS Approval, LJMU Sponsorship, research governance considerations and collaborations.

LJMU Research and Knowledge Exchange Projects require LJMU Research Governance Approval. The process of research ethics at LJMU also covers LJMU Research Governance Approval. For projects exempt from LJMU ethical review, there are separate processes to obtain LJMU Research Governance Approval. Projects that require review by MODREC or an NHS/HSC REC require LJMU Sponsorship. As do projects that require HRA Approval.

LJMU research governance approval and LJMU sponsorship is summarised in the flow diagram below.

Text description of the flow diagram to summarise the LJMU research governance approval and LJMU Sponsorship


Step 1
: Is an LJMU Staff/PRG student conducting a research/knowledge exchange project/collaboration? If yes, go to step 2.


Step 2
: Is the project led by an LJMU investigator? If yes, go to step 3. If no, go to step 8.


Step 3
: Is the project exempt from UREC review? If yes, go to step 4. If no, go to step 9.


Step 4
: Is LJMU Sponsorship required for NGS/HSC REC review? If yes, go to step 5. If no, go to step 6.


Step 5
: Submit the LJMU Research Ethics and Governance Decision Tool; Submit the Sponsorship application; and submit the IRAS application.


Step 6
: Is LJMU Sponsorship required for MODREC review? If yes, go to step 7. If no, go to step 8.


Step 7
: Submit the LJMU Research Ethics and Governance Decision Tool; Submit the Sponsorship application; and submit the MODREC application.


Step 8
: Submit the LJMU Research Ethics and Governance Decision tool to obtain LJMU Research Governance Approval.


Step 9
: Obtain a favourable ethics opinion from UREC (which will include LJMU Research Governance Approval). Continue to step 10.


Step 10
: Does the project require HRA Approval? If yes, go to step 11. If no, go to step 12.


Step 11
: Submit LJMU Sponsorship application; and submit IRAS application. Continue to step 12.


Step 12
: Is HMPPS approval required? If yes, go to step 13.


Step 13
: Submit HMPPS application.