NOUN Issues New Ethical Clearance Guidelines for Postgraduate Research Projects

The University Research Ethics Committee (UREC) of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has released a formalized routing procedure for postgraduate students seeking ethical clearance for their research projects.

In an internal memorandum dated February 19, 2026, the Chairman of UREC, Professor Andrew O. Agbon, clarified that while project supervision remains the mandate of individual departments, the responsibility for ethical clearance lies strictly with the concerned Departmental or Faculty UREC.

To ensure academic integrity and standardized ethical compliance, the university has outlined a mandatory four-step routing process for all postgraduate applicants:

Form Completion: Every postgraduate student must obtain and duly complete the Research Ethics Approval Form in close consultation with their assigned supervisor.

Departmental Endorsement: The completed form must be reviewed and officially endorsed by the Head of the concerned Department.

Faculty Review: The endorsed form is then submitted to the Faculty Research Ethics Committee. This submission must include a copy of the approved research title and detailed methodology.

Final University Approval: Once the Faculty Research Ethics Committee provides its endorsement, the application—along with the approved title and methodology—is forwarded to the central University Research Ethics Committee (UREC) for final consideration and ultimate approval.

This directive aims to streamline the research pipeline across NOUN’s various study centers, ensuring that all postgraduate inquiries meet both national and international ethical standards. By decentralizing the initial review to the Faculty level while maintaining final oversight at the University level, NOUN reinforces its commitment to rigorous academic standards and responsible research practices.