Plymouth Ethics Online System
Find out how to use our new online system for research ethics applications
Introduction
The University has now switched the research ethics application process from paper-based to electronic and online. The Plymouth Ethics Online System (PEOS) is a flexible web-based management system to help facilitate and streamline the ethical review process.
This online ethical review application system is available to both members of staff and postgraduate taught and research (PGT/PGR) students at the University of Plymouth. The system will help applicants submit and track their applications as well as make it easier for the Faculty Research Ethics and Integrity Committees to conduct reviews, provide feedback and approve applications.
PEOS features an automatic submission feature. This means that once you sign the form (and obtain any additional required signatures) the system will automatically submit the application on your behalf. Please note, to ensure your signature is recognised please ensure you remain logged into the system for at least 60 seconds after you sign the form to allow time for the screen to refresh. You will also receive an email confirmation that submission was successful.
Access
To access the new system, please use the following links and log in with your University of Plymouth username and password (the same information you use to access your email):
Submitting an ethics application
Reviewing an ethics application (Faculty Research Ethics and Integrity Committee personnel ONLY)
Guidance documents
The 'How to' PDF guides below provide guidance to members of staff and PGT/PGR students on how to use PEOS including how to create a new application.
Helpful information
The manuals provide guidance to members of staff and PGT/PGR students on how to use the Plymouth Ethics Online System.
Applicants can now also watch a quick help tutorial to which demonstrates how to submit an application.
For technical issues using the system, please contact:
- Ethics Online System Support: ethics-online-system@plymouth.ac.uk or telephone: +44 1752 586703
For general research ethics support, please contact:
- Arts, Humanities and Business: FoAHBethics@plymouth.ac.uk
- Health: FOHEthics@plymouth.ac.uk
- Science and Engineering: scienghumanethics@plymouth.ac.uk
- Plymouth Sponsor: plymouth.sponsor@plymouth.ac.uk
More information about each Faculty/Sponsor committee can be found in their respective SharePoint sites below:
If you're applying from Planning and Analytics or SERIO, you will need to choose the Committee you're submitting your application to (Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business) and if you are unsure, please contact the appropriate committee administrator from the list above.
The Faculty of Health Research Ethics and Integrity Committee are moving to a monthly cycle of submission dates and review meetings starting with a
pilot from January to June 2021. For more information, please contact the committee administrator. The dates are as follows:
Masters committee (except Psychology) dates
|
Submission dates Deadline 4pm |
Committee meeting date |
Outcome date |
|
Tuesday 12th Jan 2021 |
Tuesday 26th Jan 9.30-12.30 |
Tuesday 2nd Feb |
|
Tuesday 9th Feb 2021 |
Tuesday 23rd Feb 9.30-12.30 |
Tuesday 2nd March |
|
Tuesday 9th March 2021 |
Tuesday 23rd Mar 09.30-12.30 |
Tuesday 30th March |
|
Tuesday 13th April 2021 |
Tuesday 27th April 09.30-12.30 |
Tuesday 4th May |
|
Tuesday 11th May 2021 |
Tuesday 25th May 09.30-12.30 |
Tuesday 1st June |
|
Tuesday 8th June 2021 |
Tuesday 22nd June 09.30-12.30 |
Tuesday 29th June 2021 |
|
July and August no meetings |
|
|
Staff/PhD/HRA committee (except Psychology) dates
|
Submission dates Deadline 4pm |
Committee meeting date |
Outcome date |
|
Tuesday 12th Jan 2021 |
Wednesday 27th Jan 9.30-12.30 |
Tuesday 2nd Feb |
|
Tuesday 9th Feb 2021 |
Wednesday 24th Feb 9.30-12.30 |
Tuesday 2nd March |
|
Tuesday 9th March 2021 |
Wednesday 24th Mar 09.30-12.30 |
Tuesday 30th March |
|
Tuesday 13th April 2021 |
Wednesday 28th April 09.30-12.30 |
Tuesday 4th May |
|
Tuesday 11th May 2021 |
Wednesday 26th May 09.30-12.30 |
Tuesday 1st June |
|
Tuesday 8th June 2021 |
Wednesday 23rd June 09.30-12.30 |
Tuesday 29th June 2021 |
|
July and August no meetings |
|
|
Important:
Please ensure you sign and then request all signatures within your form (Other collaborators (co-investigators)/Director of Studies/Supervisor) if required. Other collaborators external to the University will not be able to sign the form (due to single sign on authentication). Committees do not require these to review your application, but if you would like an external signatory to sign the form, then we recommend you scan their signature in as a miscellaneous document.
If you are resubmitting and have co-investigators within your form, you only need gain one of those signatures for re-submission. If you have a Director of Studies/Supervisor you will need to gain their signature.
The system features an automatic submission function, which will automatically submit your application after all required signatures are obtained.
If you are signing an application, please ensure you remain logged into the system until the screen refreshes and you receive email confirmation that:
- your signature has been accepted, and
- your application has been successfully submitted.
If you do not receive an email confirmation within one hour of signing the form, please perform the following:
1. Open the application and double check the form status; it should be listed as submitted or resubmitted. If the status is one of these, please email your requested signatory if you have one or FRIEC Administrator to double-check that they have received your application.
2. If the form status is listed as ‘not submitted’ or 'changes requested', then please double check:
- that an appropriate signature has been obtained
- that no additional blank signature boxes are listed
- that all relevant sections have been completed
- that the application is not pending a mandatory update (listed in a bar at the top of the screen).
If you have performed all of these checks and the application has still not automatically submitted, please email Plymouth Ethics Online System support ethics-online-system@plymouth.ac.uk and provide your project reference number, title and a screenshot confirming these criteria and a member of the team will be able to assist you.
If you wish to make an amendment to a historical application (made prior to PEOS), then please contact your faculty research ethics and integrity committee.
Training
R&I provides training on how to use the Plymouth Ethics Online System either by drop-in sessions or one to one training. Please contact ethics online system support at ethics-online-system@plymouth.ac.uk to arrange a bespoke training session for your faculty/ school or research group.
The next drop-in sessions will be facilitated by Alison Bendall, Research Information Officer, who will be happy to help you with the system and discuss any queries. They will take place via Zoom as follows:
16 December 2020 10:00-10:30 Applicant Drop in Zoom session
16 December 2020 11:00-11:30 Administrator Drop in at Zoom session
16 December 2020 11:30-12:00 Reviewer Drop in Zoom session
21 January 2021 10:00-10:30 Applicant Drop in Zoom session
21 January 2021 11:00-11:30 Administrator Drop in Zoom session
21 January 2021 12:00-12:30 Reviewer Drop in Zoom session
18 February 2021 10:00-10:30 Applicant Drop in Zoom session
18 February 2021 11:00-11:30 Administrator Drop in Zoom session
18 February 2021 12:00-12:30 Reviewer Drop in Zoom session
18 March 2021 10:00-10:30
Applicant Drop in Zoom session
18 March 2021 11:00-11:30 Administrator Drop in Zoom session
18 March 2021 12:00-12:30 Reviewer Drop in Zoom session
15 April 2021 10:00-10:30 Applicant Drop in Zoom session
15 April 2021 11:00-11:30 Administrator Drop in Zoom session
15 April 2021 12:00-12:30 Reviewer Drop in Zoom session
20 May 2021 10:00-10:30 Applicant Drop in Zoom session
20 May 2021 11:00-11:30 Administrator Drop in Zoom session
20 May 2021 12:00-12:30 Reviewer Drop in Zoom session
17 June 2021 10:00-10:30 Applicant Drop in Zoom session
17 June 2021 11:00-11:30 Administrator Drop in Zoom session
17 June 2021 12:00-12:30 Reviewer Drop in Zoom session
New grant pre-award process
The University has now switched the research grant pre-award
process (encompassing project costing, peer review and approval) from
paper-based to fully electronic and online.
The new tool is called Award Manager and
sits within Unit 4 Business World (Agresso). It provides instant access to
real-time data about research activities, allows for split costing between
schools and departments and streamlines the approval process.
Read the Infonetica case study
The University of Plymouth's new ethics review system went live on 20th April 2020 and is being used by staff, taught masters and postgraduate research students. They have found the software to be intuitive, easy to use, efficient and time saving, in handling the 350-400 low to high risk ethics applications the university receives in a typical year. The new system fulfilled the requirements to provide a single repository for all review documentation as well as to assure full GDPR compliance.
