Dear Colleague,
Thank you for your invaluable service as an ethical reviewer for the Committee on Research Practices (CRP) at HKUST(GZ). Your expertise and dedication are crucial to upholding the highest standards of research integrity at our university.
This survey aims to understand your experience as a reviewer, including the challenges of the role. Your anonymous feedback will be used solely to improve the review process, provide better support to reviewers, and ensure the system is sustainable and effective , especially during peak seasons.
All responses will be kept strictly confidential and anonymised.
Thank you for your time and contribution.
Best regards,
Research Construction and Development Department
Office of Research and Talent Support
1. How long have you been serving as an ethical reviewer?
Less than 6 months 6 months to 1 year 1 - 2 years More than 2 years
2. Approximately how many protocols do you review in a typical month?
1-2 3-5 6-10 More than 10
3. How would you rate the overall workload associated with being an ethical reviewer?
Very Light Manageable Extremely Heavy
4. How predictable is the flow of review requests? Do they come at consistent intervals or in intense bursts? Very predictable and consistent Somewhat predictable Unpredictable, with intense bursts (e.g., during grant deadlines) Highly unpredictable
5. During peak application seasons, how manageable do you find the increased workload?
Very Easy to Manage Challenging but Manageable Overwhelming and Difficult to Manage
6. What is the most time-consuming aspect of conducting a review? (Select all that apply) Reading and understanding the protocol Identifying potential ethical issues Researching specific ethical guidelines or precedents Formulating constructive feedback and comments The administrative process (e.g., RPMS-related issues) Other (please specify)
7. How clear are the guidelines and criteria provided for ethical review? Very Unclear Moderately Clear Extremely Clear
8. How effective is the review system – Research Project Management System (e.g., usability, functionality)? Very Ineffective Neutral Very Effective
9. What kind of support or resources would help you perform your reviews more efficiently and effectively? (Select all that apply) More detailed SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) and checklists A repository of anonymised past reviews/examples as guidance A dedicated admin staff contact for urgent procedural questions Clearer timelines and expectations for turnaround Other (please specify)
10. How satisfied are you with the communication with RCDD staff? Very Dissatisfied Neutral Very Satisfied
11. What is the single biggest challenge or frustration you face in this role?
12. Do you have any specific suggestions for improving the ethical review process at HKUST(GZ)? (e.g., process streamlining, training, system improvements, workload management during peaks)