Niagara College Canada

Administrative approval confirms that Niagara College has granted institutional permission for the study to proceed. This includes reviewing feasibility, use of College resources, student access, timing, and potential institutional impacts.
The REB’s role is to assess ethical considerations, not institutional fit or operational feasibility.

Yes. This requirement applies to all investigators, regardless of academic credentials, position, or research experience.
Administrative approval is about institutional responsibility, not researcher qualifications.

Yes. Niagara College requires institutional approval before REB review, particularly but not limited to research involving students.
This reflects the college context, where:

• student–faculty power relationships are more immediate;
• programs, labs, and timetables are tightly coordinated; and
• student research burden must be centrally managed.

Administrative approval considers:

• alignment with College priorities and policies;
• feasibility of using College space, equipment, or systems;
• student recruitment methods and timing;
• potential impacts on programs, classes, or student experience.

It does not assess research ethics—that is the role of the REB.

No. Administrative approval does not replace REB review.
It confirms institutional permission only. All research involving human participants must still receive REB approval before recruitment or data collection begins.

No. REB submissions require confirmation that administrative approval has already been granted. Applications submitted without prior administrative approval may be returned without review.

Students may be in dependent or perceived power relationships with faculty.
Administrative review helps ensure that:

• participation is clearly voluntary;
• recruitment is appropriate and non-coercive; and
• students are not overburdened by multiple studies.

Even minimal-risk or pilot studies require administrative approval if they involve:

• Niagara College students or employees,
• College facilities or systems, or
• use of the College’s name or affiliation.

Once administrative approval is granted, you may:

1. Submit your application to the REB for ethical review.
2. Begin recruitment and data collection only after REB approval is received and any other internal approvals are obtained.

If you are unsure whether your activity constitutes research or requires administrative and/or REB review, email [email protected] before proceeding.

Early consultation can prevent delays.

Read the Niagara College Research Ethics Application Guide for Research Involving Human Participants to understand all procedures and expectations.

Download it from the Forms page or email [email protected] to request the application.

Contact the Niagara College REB by sending your question to [email protected] or call 905-735-2211 ext. 7180.

Yes. The online tutorial course has to be completed by all researchers before any research is conducted. In order for an application to be approved, the certificate of completion for each researcher must be submitted along with the research ethics application.

Yes. Both faculty and student researchers shall submit the same ethics application. Note: There is a separate application for course-based research projects.

No. The REB will no longer be accepting research proposals submitted in the older version of the research ethics application form.