1. Why do I need to create an account?

Creating an account allows you to submit research proposals, track the progress of your submissions, and communicate with our ethics review board. It also helps us ensure compliance with ethical standards and guidelines. Additionally, an account enables you to request permission to collect research data, apply for publication incentives, seek permission to attend conferences or seminars, and manage requests for letters of support. You can also submit and track conference, workshop, and seminar requests, and handle affiliation payments seamlessly.

2. What information is required to create an account?

When creating an account, we will need your full name as it appears on official documents, a valid email address where your login password will be sent, and a telephone number for contact purposes. Providing a cellphone number and postal address is optional. Additionally, please list the institutions you are affiliated with, separating multiple affiliations by commas. Finally, we kindly ask that you indicate your highest level of education achieved for qualifications.

3. What information do I need to log into the system?

To log into the system, you need the email address you used to create your account and your password. For your first-time login, use the password that was sent to your email. If you have changed your password since then, use your updated password.

4. What happens if I forget my password?

If you forget your password, simply click on the "Forgot Password" link on the login page. A new password will be sent directly to the email address associated with your account, allowing you to log in and update your password if needed.

5. How do I submit my proposal?

  1. Login to the System using your email and password
  2. Click on "Consultancy Proposals" on the navigation bar.
  3. Click "Submit Proposal."
  4. Basic details will be prefilled in Tab 1. Fill in the most suitable title of your study and select the number of co-investigators, then fill in their details.
  5. Continue through the other tabs, filling in the required information until your proposal is fully submitted. (Remember, all fields marked with a red * are mandatory, and documents should be in PDF format.)
  6. If you do not complete your proposal submission, it will not be available for review. You can complete it later under "Pending Reviews" in the "Consultancy Proposals" section.
  7. Once you have completed the submission, you will receive an email acknowledging receipt of your proposal, and it will appear under "Submitted Reviews."

6. Can I edit my proposal after submission?

Yes, you can edit your proposal only when it is in the Submitted stage and has not yet been scheduled for review. To edit:
  1. Navigate to the "Submitted Reviews" section.
  2. Click the "Edit" button located on the far right of the table.
  3. You will be taken to a page where your details are prefilled. Make necessary changes.
  4. If you are in a tab where no changes are needed, you can simply submit it as it is.
  5. If you need to change the documents submitted, upload a new document in PDF format. The system will replace the current document with the new one automatically.

7.What happens after I submit my proposal?

After you submit your proposal:
  1. There is an initial vetting to ensure it meets basic requirements.
  2. Reviewers will check your application and provide comments. For example, if your title of study needs reformatting, a comment like 'Reformat your title of study' will be highlighted.
  3. You will receive an email notifying you that your application has undergone initial vetting and requires revisions.
  4. Log in to the system and navigate to "Consultancy Proposals > Submitted Reviews" and click on the comments button to view all comments in one page.
  5. To edit your application based on the comments, click on the bold and blue link in the orange box at the top of the comments page.
  6. Edit your application as necessary on each tab and submit to proceed through the process. If no editing is required, submit as is.
  7. Reviewers will be notified once you have updated your application for a second vetting round.
  8. If there are further comments, repeat the editing cycle until the application is free of errors.
  9. Once your application is error-free, it moves to the scheduling stage, and editing is no longer possible.

8. How is Ethics review carried out?

  1. The Ethics Review Board is invited via email to review your application, with you copied for awareness.
  2. Guidelines detailing the review meeting's time and location are included in the invitation.
  3. During the review, every aspect of your application is assessed, scored, and provided with comments.
  4. A cumulative score is calculated, and a decision regarding your application is communicated.
  5. If approved, you receive a license to proceed with your research.
  6. One year later, you must either close your application or renew your license; otherwise, you will receive an email alert prompting action.

9. Can I delete my application?

Yes, you can delete your application only if it is still in the pending or submission stage.

10. Can I have multiple accounts for different research projects?

We recommend using one account per researcher to maintain clarity and organization. However, if you are part of multiple research teams, you may create separate submissions under the same account.

11. How can I contact the Ethics Review Board for further assistance?

If you have questions about the submission process, ethical considerations, or need general assistance, please reach out to our Ethics Review Board at dvcrio@ku.ac.ke

12. What is publication incentives?

It’s an incentive provision to encourage researchers to publish in credible journals

13. What happens under publication incentives?

Researchers submit their published research work which is reviewed by RIO department. The RIO review is followed by approval by the VC office. Once approved by VC then payment is done by Finance department.

14. Can researchers request for incentive if they did a joint publications?

Yes

15. How is the incentive shared in case of joint publications?

The researchers agreed on a sharing matrix, then the researchers sign a sharing matrix document as proof that the incentive was allocated fairly.

16. What is Attendance approvals?

It’s a process where staff members are expected to seek for permission to attend training workshops/conferences/seminars outside the university.

17. What happens under Attendance approvals?

Staff submit their request which is reviewed by RIO department. The RIO review is followed by approval by the DVC office. Once approved by DVC then staff can attend workshops/conferences/seminars.

18. What happens after the workshops/conferences/seminars?

The staff are expected to share with the department/school the experiences learnt while away.

19. What are letters of support?

It’s a process which facilitates instructional support of proposals being developed and submitted by researchers.

20. What happens under the letters of support?

Staff submit their request which is reviewed and proved by RIO department. Once approved by RIO then staff receives the support letter.

21. What is conference hosting?

It’s a process which ensures that Conferences and dissemination activities being hosted by the university are of high quality and self-sustaining.

22. What happens under conference hosting?

A request to host a conference is submitted, the request is reviewed by Vetting committee. The Vetting committee review is followed by approval by the VC office. Once approved by VC then the organizers can proceed with conference preparations.

23. What is research data collection?

It’s a process which allows researchers and students seeking to undertake research at the university to secure approval from the University of Research.

24. What happens under research data collection?

A request to collect research data is submitted, the request is analyzed and recommend for approval or is rejected with reasons. A letter of authorization to collect research data is prepared and send to applicant.

25. What is Request for affiliation?

It’s a process which allows researchers to be affiliated to Kenyatta University during their Research work.

26. What happens under Request for affiliation?

A request for affiliation is submitted, the request is analyzed and recommend for approval or is rejected with reasons. A of letter of affiliation is prepared and send to applicant.
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