INSTRUCTIONS TO APPLICANTS

 

Please read this carefully to ensure that your application is properly filled, the relevant documents are correctly prepared as this would minimize delays in evaluating your application.

  1. Badly planned and poorly designed research that causes inconvenience to participants with possible risks will not produce useful or valid results and is considered to be unethical. It is the responsibility of the researcher to ensure that his / her research is of good scientific quality before making an application for ethics review.
  2. The ERC may return the application if it is flawed in research methodology and fails to demonstrate adequate scientific rigor.
  3. All applications should be sent single spaced and double sided.

 

The ERC will not accept research proposals conducted in animals as the Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo has a committee that review research related animal ethics.

 

 

 

WHO CAN APPLY?

 

Eligibility for application to the ERC has changed.

In order to accept an application for ethics review, the Principal Investigator must belong to at least one of the following categories;

  • A member of the permanent academic staff of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura (including probationary staff)
  • Members of the extended Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura (SJP), which consists of consultants in the teaching hospitals and institutions attached to the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. These hospitals include the Colombo South Teaching Hospital (CSTH), Sri Jayewardenepura Hospital, Homagama Base Hosital, Cancer Hospital – Maharagama.
  • Undergraduate students of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura.
  • Trainers and trainees of the Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS), University of Sri Jayewardenepura.
  • A researcher who is conducting the research project on behalf of the Ministry of Health.

 

 

 

FILLING AN APPLICATION FORM

 

  • The current application form is available online in our web site.
  • All human and animal research proposals must be submitted on the prescribed application form(s).
  • The application form must be filled online and the cages are expandable as you type.
  • The application form should be completely filled, giving pertinent information according to instructions given.
  • Please do not leave any sections blank and indicate as 'not applicable' any questions that are not relevant.
  • The relevant section and page numbers on the proposal must be indicated, when relevant.
  • All documents must have the title and version no as a header and the page number as footer.
    (E.g. For new submissions: Version 1, for resubmissions: Version 2, 3 accordingly)
  • Applications and all other relevant documents including translations should be typed. Hand written applications /documents will not be accepted.
  • Once filled, the applicant and the other co-investigators must sign on the hard copy of the application form.
  • E-signatures will not be accepted for applicants from Sri Lanka.
  • If the principal investigator is from overseas, e-signatures are considered. However one hard copy must be sent via post with the original signature before ERC approval is granted.

 

 

 

DOCUMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED

 

  • Please fill the checklist and submit the relevant documents.
  • One copy of each of the following;
    1. Covering letter signed by the applicant
    2. Letter from supervisor (if relevant)
    3. Bank receipt
    4. Curriculum Vitae of All Investigators
  • One (1) set of copies of the application form duly filled and signed with the following documents stapled and bound together.
    1. The proposal (postgraduate students must submit a copy identical to that approved by the board of study)
    2. Study instruments in English and Sinhala and Tamil translations where relevant.
    3. Information sheet in English and Sinhala and Tamil where relevant. The information sheet in all languages should contain the following statement: "This study has been approved by the Ethics Review Committee of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura. If you have any queries or complaints about the conduct of the study, please contact the ERC Office on +94 11 2758000 Ext: 4075"
    4. For clinical trial applications the Principal investigator or investigators should have a valid GCP training certificate.

 

 

 

SUBMISSION PROCESS

 

  • Principal Investigator/Applicant should credit the appropriate processing fee as stipulated in the Application form to the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Faculty of Medical Sciences Development Fund (A/C No. 097100147709343) at People's Bank, Gangodawila, Nugegoda.
  • The processing fees are as follows;
    • When principal investigator is an academic of FMS, USJ and the research is self funded - Rs.1000/-
    • All others where the research is self funded - Rs 3000/-
    • For research funded by funding agencies such as NSF, JICA, UGC etc - Rs 5000/-
    • Industry sponsored trials (excluding Phase 2 & 3 clinical trials ) - Rs 25,000/-
    • Clinical trials originating from outside Sri Lanka (including phase 2 & 3 clinical trials) - USD 1,000
  • The paying in slip should be attached to the application at the time of submission.
  • All postgraduate student projects must obtain approval from their respective Boards of Study BEFORE submitting an application.

 

 

 

OPENING HOURS FOR SUBMISSION

 

  • ERC Office is located on 4th floor of the New Building.
  • Opening hours : Monday to Friday - 8.30 am to 3.30 pm.
  • Applications and document submissions should be between 9.00am to 11.00am and 2.00pm to 3.00pm.
  • If you need to submit applications and documents outside these hours please contact the office.
    ERC Office - +94 11 2758000 Ext 4075
    Dr. Manjula Weerasekera - +94 71 4432870 (Secretary)
    E-mail : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

 

 

SUBMISSION DEADLINE AND MEETING DATES

 

  • The ERC FMS/SJP sits every last Thursday of the month, except in the months of April and December.
  • Duly completed applications should be submitted on the last working date of the current month (before 12 noon), to be taken up at the next scheduled meeting.

 

ERC Submission Dates and Meeting Dates - 2023

Month Last Date to Submit Proposals Meeting Date
January 31st December 2022 26th January 2023
February 31st January 2023 23rd February 2023
March 28th February 2023 23rd March 2023
April   No Meeting
May 28th April 2023 25th May 2023
June 31st May 2023 22nd June 2023
July 30th June 2023 27th July 2023
August 28th July 2023 24th August 2023
September 31st August 2023 21st September 2023
October 29th September 2023 26th October 2023
November 27th October 2023 22nd November 2023
December   No Meeting