Research Ethics Board
SAIT's Research Ethics Board (REB) promotes and facilitates the conduct of research in ways that respect the dignity and preserve the well-being of human participants.
What is the Research Ethics Board?
SAIT's Research Ethics Board (REB) approves, rejects, proposes modifications to, or terminates any proposed or ongoing research which is subject to REB review in order to protect human research participants. The REB's analyses and decision-making is guided by the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (often referred to as the TCPS 2), created by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council (NSERC).
The Terms of Reference for the REB can be found under AC.4.4.1 Research Requiring Ethics Review, Schedule A: SAIT Research Ethics Board.
Programs and Curriculum Applied Research
AC.4.1 Applied Research Services Policy
- AC.4.1.1 Applied Research Services Procedure
- AC 4.1.2 Financial Management of Applied Research Projects
- AC 4.1.3 Peer Review Panel
AC.4.2 Research Integrity Policy
AC.4.3 Treatment of Animals Policy
- AC.4.4.1 Research Requiring Ethics Review Procedure
- AC.4.4.2 Free and Informed Consent Procedure
- AC.4.4.3 Privacy and Confidentiality Procedure
Programs and Curriculum
Intellectual Property
‘Researcher’ as defined in AC.4.4.1 Research Requiring Ethics Review, is “any member of the SAIT community or any person external to the SAIT community who conducts or carries out research using SAIT resources and/or formally using members of the SAIT community as human participants. This includes but is not limited to researchers carrying out the scholarly activity, applied research, and/or research under the terms of a Cadmus Trades Teaching Chair award or a Cisco e-Learning Chair award.
If you are a researcher according to the above definition, you can find more information about if your project requires Research Ethics Board (REB) approval in AC.4.4.1 Research Requiring Ethics Review, B: Obtaining REB Approval.
See AC.4.4.1 Research Requiring Ethics Review, F. Review of Off-Campus Research and G. Review of Multi-Centered Research if your project will be conducted off-campus or at multiple sites.
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Complete the online tutorial TCPS 2: CORE (Course on Research Ethics): This eight-module online tutorial takes approximately 4 hours to thoroughly complete. The REB suggests completing the tutorial before you complete your application in ROMEO as the content of the TCPS 2 should inform your application. When you finish the tutorial, you will be issued a certificate. Save a copy of your certificate to include in your application.
- Submit a comprehensive application through the ROMEO management system. It is important to carefully include all required information and to work through each of the tabs in the system (project info, project team info, request for ethical review, attachments). The Request for Ethical Review tab has several sub-tabs (application guidance, project summary & details, methodology & recruitment, involvement of Aboriginals, consent, risks & benefits, confidentiality and anonymity, conflict of interest, compliance). Pay close attention to the yellow text boxes that mention attachments you should include such as sample interview or survey questions and your letter of consent.
To request ethical review for research being carried out on SAIT premises and/or involving SAIT faculty, staff and/or students, you must apply online through ROMEO. ROMEO is the online management system used at SAIT to manage human research ethics submissions.
ROMEO account sign-up:
- Create a ROMEO Account.
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Click Register.
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Fill in the required information and click the Register button.
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You will receive an email with a link to enter a new password.
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Once you create a new password, log into ROMEO to start your application.
If you encounter any problems or need help with ROMEO, please email research.ethics.board@sait.ca.
The Research Ethics Board (REB) meets on the last Monday of each month, with the exception of July and August. Applications are not reviewed in July or August and any applications received after the June submission deadline will be held over to the September meeting. Your application must be submitted two weeks before the monthly meeting to allow adequate time for review. As per the SAIT Research Requiring Ethics Review Procedure AC 4.4.1, the REB shall make a decision no more than 45 days from the receipt of a properly completed application.
| Proposal submission deadlines | Research Ethics Board meeting dates |
| Jan. 10, 2020 | Jan. 27, 2020 |
| Feb. 7, 2020 | Feb. 24, 2020 |
| March 6, 2020 | March 23, 2020 |
| April 10, 2020 | April 27, 2020 |
| May 8, 2020 | May 25, 2020 |
| May 29, 2020 | June 15, 2020 |
| Sept. 11, 2020 | Sept. 28, 2020 |
| Oct. 9, 2020 | Oct. 26, 2020 |
| Nov. 6, 2020 | Nov. 23, 2020 |
| Nov. 27, 2020 | Dec. 14, 2020 |
| Jan. 8, 2021 | Jan. 25, 2021 |
| Feb. 5, 2021 | Feb. 22, 2021 |
| March 5, 2021 | March 22, 2021 |
| April 9, 2021 | April 26, 2021 |
| Apr. 30, 2021 | May 17, 2021 |
| May 28, 2021 | June 14, 2021 |
| Sept. 10, 2021 | Sept. 27, 2021 |
| Oct. 8. 2021 | Oct. 25, 2021 |
| Nov. 5, 2021 | Nov. 22, 2021 |
| Nov. 26, 2021 | Dec. 13, 2021 |
| Jan. 7, 2022 | Jan. 24, 2022 |
| Feb. 11, 2022 | Feb 28, 2022 |
| March 11, 2022 | March 28, 2022 |
| April 8, 2022 | April 25, 2022 |
| April 29, 2022 | May 16, 2022 |
| May 27, 2022 | June 13, 2022 |
No, the Research Ethics Board (REB) must retain its objectivity by not assisting with research project planning or application preparation. If one of your colleagues is a member of the REB and you consult with them, they will be required to remove themselves from the review of your individual application due to conflict of interest concerns.
SAIT's Centre for Learning and Teaching (CLT) can consult with you about your research. Within CLT, Diane Janes (diane.janes@sait.ca) should be your first point of contact.
If your research is being conducted in partial fulfillment for an educational credential such as a Master's or Doctorate, your academic supervisor should be your primary resource.
Resources
- Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (TCPS 2): the policy with which all applications must comply.
- Panel on Research Ethics: This panel is responsible for the TCPS policy
- Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy
- Ethical Considerations for Dual-Role Research: an article titled "Conducting Research with Students in your own Classroom." This document is an excellent resource for instructors considering research with their own students as participants.
- Alberta Innovates ARECCI Screening Tool: this is a tool that assists a researcher in determining if their research should go through the REB process.
- Canadian Association of Research Ethics Boards
Contact us
All inquiries for the Research Ethics Board should be directed to research.ethics.board@sait.ca.