Research Ethics

Overview

The University of Malaya Research Ethics Committee (UMREC) undertakes ethics review of all non-medical research involving human participants including funded and unfunded research.

The UMREC conducts an ethics review prior to the beginning of any research involving human participants. The UMREC examines the ethics components of the research such as, sound methodology, possible risks and benefits to the subjects, recruitment of subjects, consent from the subjects, confidentiality or anonymity for the subjects, the way in which the data is handled, and how feedback can be provided for the subjects. Please note that any data collection and participants recruitments for any purposes are strictly prohibited before obtaining ethical clearance.

More information is available in the following documents:

1. Code of Research Ethics
2. University of Malaya Manual of Responsible Research
3. Frequently-Asked Questions (FAQ)

Application of UMREC-NM (student and staff):

a. The UMREC-NM forms can be downloaded directly from this website:

Application form
Participant information sheet
Consent form
Questionnaire/ interview guide (please submit your own questionnaire/interview questions)

b. All the application forms should be computer typed. Handwritten forms will be totally rejected

c. Applicants are required to submit a copy of PDF of their application to UMREC email at umrec@um.edu.my. Therefore,
The application form must be signed by supervisors (for student application) and head of department/ dean of the faculty


Please scan and save the completed form,

i) Application form,

ii) Participant Information Sheet,

iii) Consent form, and

iv) Questionnaire/ interview guide) in ONE PDF file with name: “UMREC_Application_(your name)” e.g. UMREC_Application_Ali

d. Please make sure that your submission is complete prior to the checklist. The UMREC-NM will strictly reject and will not entertain any incomplete submissions.

e. Closing dates for application submission as follows :

Review Cycle
Closing Date for the Preliminary Review1
Closing Date for the Review Cycle2
January
24 December 2024
2 January 2025
February
22 January 2025
3 February 2025
March
20 February 2025
3 March 2025
April
21 March 2025
2 April 2025
May
23 April 2025
2 May 2025
June
23 May 2025
2 June 2025
July
20 June 2025
1 July 2025
August
24 July 2025
1 August 2025
September
22 August 2025
1 September 2025
October
23 September 2025
1 October 2025
November
24 October 2025
3 November 2025
December
21 November 2025
1 December 2025

1 UMREC requires 7 working days to complete the preliminary review. Applicants are required to submit their applications before the preliminary review deadline to ensure sufficient time for this process. Any applications submitted after the deadline will be considered for the next review cycle.

Applications that do not pass the preliminary review by the review cycle deadline, will not be considered for the current cycle and will automatically be forwarded to the next cycle.

UMREC will take about 30-60 days (depending on the research complexity) to process your application after the submission deadline. Please keep in mind that required amendments will require additional processing time. Applicants are advised to submit their ethics clearance application as EARLY as possible prior to their data collection.

Please see our SOP as below: 

IMPORTANT NOTE: 

  1. Ethics clearance is to be obtained before the research project starts. Researchers should not approach or recruit participants or collect data for any purpose (including pilot study) prior to receiving ethical approval.
  2. We do not provide retrospective reviews. Applications for research where data collection has already started or been completed will not be accepted. 
  3. We require all applicants to submit early to meet the mandatory preliminary review deadline.

  4. We DO NOT provide urgent reviews. Therefore, please plan your research accordingly as any request for an expedited review will not be entertained.
Last Updated on December 16, 2024