Research Ethics Board

The Research Ethics Board is an independent entity that uses the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (TCPS2) to guide decision-making about research ethics.

Projects Requiring REB Review

Any research project involving human participants must undergo Research Ethics Board (REB) review, if it falls into at least one of the following categories:

Research that recruits members of the Vanier community as participants. 

Any research that recruits members of the Vanier community (students, teachers or staff) as participants must first be authorized by the REB.

Research on human participants conducted by researchers based at Vanier. 

Any research relying on human participants conducted by members of the Vanier community must also be approved by the REB. This stands regardless of whether or not the participants are members of the Vanier community.

Research carried out by students as part of course activities typically does not require a review by the REB, but is covered by guidelines for teachers, and is under the ethical supervision of the course teacher. (More information is found below.)

Research that uses data that is accessible within the college but not normally available to the public. 

Projects Exempt from REB Review

In-class research projects conducted by Vanier students under the supervision of their teachers are exempt from requiring REB review.

• Teachers whose classes will be conducting research that involves human participants should consult the Guidelines for Teachers Whose Course Activities Involve Research with Human Participants.
• The Office of Academic Development and Research and the REB are available to provide support and guidance for teachers supervising in-class projects, as required.

Internal institutional evaluations, for example, program evaluations:

• These processes are still required to adhere to the highest ethical standards as expected of other forms of research.
• The Office of Academic Development and Research and REB are available to provide support, as needed.