Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology (NEUST) reinforced its commitment to ethical and responsible research by conducting a virtual training seminar titled “Navigating the Ethics Clearance Process: Requirements, Common Pitfalls, and Best Practices for Successful Approval” on July 8, 2026.
The webinar, organized by the Institutional Ethics Review Committee chaired by Dr. Girlie Tayao, aimed to strengthen researchers’ understanding of the ethics review process, clarify submission requirements, reduce common application errors, improve the quality of protocol submissions, and promote responsible and ethical research practices.
NEUST officials emphasized that ethics clearance is more than a procedural requirement and is essential to protecting research participants and maintaining the credibility of academic work.
In her message, NEUST President Dr. Rhodora Jugo emphasized the importance of upholding human dignity as a fundamental principle in the conduct of research.
“Knowledge gained at the expense of human dignity is never a success. A study may be rigorous, innovative, and even influential. But if it compromises the rights, welfare, or privacy of its participants, it falls short of the very purpose of research,” Dr. Jugo said.
She added that ethics clearance should not be viewed merely as another requirement before data collection, but as a responsibility that researchers carry once individuals agree to participate in a study.
Vice President for Research, Extension, and Training Dr. Jean Guillasper highlighted that meaningful research begins with safeguarding the rights, dignity, safety, and well-being of participants.
“Ethics clearance is not merely a procedural requirement. It is the foundation of responsible, credible, and socially accountable research,” Dr. Guillasper said.
She noted that the training was designed to help researchers address challenges related to documentation, protocol preparation, informed consent, and compliance, enabling them to navigate the ethics review process with greater confidence and efficiency.
The training, attended by researchers, academicians, and graduate students, featured Dr. Noriel Calaguas, chairperson of the Institutional Review Board of Holy Angel University, as the resource speaker.
Dr. Calaguas discussed key topics, including the basic principles of research ethics, the circumstances requiring ethics clearance, the ethics review process, required documents and submission checklists, and risk-benefit assessment and participant safeguards.
The training strengthened participants’ ability to prepare compliant, participant-centered, and high-quality research proposals through practical guidance on ethics clearance requirements, research integrity, participant protection, common pitfalls, and best practices, and is expected to improve the quality of research protocols submitted by faculty members, students, and researchers.
In his closing remarks delivered on behalf of Dr. Marilou Pascual, Director of the University Training Department, Dr. June Jay Irvin Pula encouraged participants to apply the lessons learned in preparing stronger research proposals and avoiding common errors.
“Good research starts with doing what is right. Let us continue to produce studies that are honest, meaningful, and beneficial to our communities,” Dr. Pula said.
The training also reflected NEUST’s continuing efforts under its Research, Extension, and Training (RET) initiatives to strengthen a culture of ethical scholarship, integrity, and social responsibility, ensuring that research conducted by the university contributes not only to knowledge creation but also to the welfare and trust of the communities it serves.
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