Overview

The General/Human Research Ethics Committee (GHREC) is dedicated to the ethical review of all general / human-related research at the University of the Free State. It does not include human health-related research. It consists of members from all the faculties as well as other disciplines to ensure broad representation. All ethical clearance applications submitted to the GHREC are reviewed by ethics reviewers. Reviewers make recommendations on the outcome of the application (approved, conditional approval, modifications required, or disapproved) based on the ethical issues arising from the study. These recommendations will either be ratified or overturned by the ethics committee during one of its monthly meetings, after which the relevant personnel will communicate the outcome to the researcher/applicant/ PI.

GHREC composition

• Chair
• Vice-Chair
• Academic representatives from each faculty
• Legally qualified members
• Members with expertise in professional care and counselling
• Members with expertise in qualitative/quantitative research methodologies
• Statistician
• Lay members from the community outside of the university
• Ethicist
• Administrator

Deadlines for 2026: Ethics committees

Please note that the deadlines are the dates by which the applications must be with the ethics office. Therefore, applications submitted to a supervisor must be accepted by the supervisor by the deadline.

GHREC meeting dates for 2026 

2026 School holidays

Summary of 2026 calendar for public schools

• The deadlines refer to the dates by which applications must reach the ethics office. Therefore, applications submitted to a supervisor must be accepted by the supervisor before the deadline.
  

• General/Human Research Ethics Committee Standard Operating Procedure
• General/Human Research Ethics Committee Terms of Reference

Contact me

Boemo Segoje
Officer: RIMS, Ethics and Creative Outputs
T: +27 51 401 7619
E: SegojeBC@ufs.ac.za

Johannes Brill Building, First Floor, Bloemfontein Campus