In keeping with its concern for ethics in research, UPF has, for some time, submitted its research projects that could entail a risk of physical or psychological harm to human subjects to a Clinical Research Ethics Committee (CEIC) affiliated to the Municipal Institute of Medical Research (IMIM) / Mar Health Park (http://www.imim.cat/comitesetics/ceic/es_index.html) for ethical review. Its projects involving experimental animals are compulsorily submitted to the Barcelona Biomedical Research Park (PRBB) Consortium's Animal Research Ethics Committee (CEEA) to the same end.

In the light of the rising number of research projects and academic activities involving human beings at UPF, the fact that institutions that fund research increasingly require applications to include external approval from an ethics committee, and the need to ensure compliance with data protection legislation, it has become advisable to reinforce the University's mechanisms for guaranteeing the fulfilment of basic ethical requisites related to people's rights and personal data.

Thus, taking into account the existence and experience of the Mar Health Park's CEIC, as well as of UPF's services for personal data protection,

the Board of Governors

ESTABLISHES THAT:

1. An Internal Committee for the Ethical Review of Projects (CIREP-UPF) is to be created for the following purposes:

a) To contribute to improving ethical standards among UPF's community in academic and research work and practices related to human beings, through informative and training activities and by dealing with queries.

b) To advise researchers on procedures to follow in relation to ethical aspects of research projects or academic activities that involve human beings or affect personal data protection.

c) To act as UPF's institutional coordinator with the Mar Health Park's CEIC. In particular, it will handle queries about whether or not given projects or practices ought to be submitted to the CEIC, and will make proposals to the CEIC regarding the incorporation of members who specialize in specific areas corresponding to the University's projects.

2. The CIREP-UPF will act as a body. It will be chaired by the vice-rector for Research and will comprise a minimum of three and a maximum of five members, who are to be nominated by the vice-rector and appointed by the rector. Its members, who must be UPF lecturers with expert knowledge or experience, will change on an annual basis. The vice-rector will choose one of the Committee's members to be its deputy chair. Individuals who are not part of the Committee may be invited to attend its meetings whenever necessary.  

3. The General Manager's Office will establish appropriate administrative support mechanisms to ensure that the Committee can carry out its work.