FUNCTIONS OF THE CUK-ISERC
- To maintain ethical standards and assure quality in the Research Systems (defined as Research, Science, Technology and Innovation-RSTI) by reviewing, recommending, monitoring, recording, and adjudicating submitted research proposals and ongoing research by individuals or teams, as pertains to relevant ethical, legal, scientific, safety, health, security and social issues specified in the STI Act of 2012,
- To maintain a database of Researchers by registering and maintaining a database of Researchers in their institution and affiliated institutions as per provisions of the STI Act, and submitting reports to NACOSTI on the same,
- To document the state of Research Systems within jurisdiction, by continuously collecting and collating relevant information and data, and submitting a report of the same to NACOSTI. In this regard, it may be noted that one of the “NACOSTI Conditions of Research License” is that the “Relevant Institutional Scientific and Ethical Review Committee (ISERC) shall monitor and evaluate the research periodically, and make a report of its findings to the Commission for necessary action”.
- To guide in the protection of IP Rights, and Technology adoption by liaising with the Institutional Intellectual Property Management Office and Researchers to identify potential intellectual assets, as well intellectual property rights that need protection and commercialization based on Research findings/outcomes. To facilitate implementation of this requirement, the “NACOSTI Conditions of Research License” requires that;
- The Licensee shall disclose to the Commission, the relevant Institutional Scientific and Ethical Review Committee (ISERC), and the relevant national agencies any inventions and discoveries that are of National strategic importance, and further,
- The Commission shall have powers to acquire from any person the right in, or to, any scientific innovation, invention or patent of strategic importance to the country as per provisions of STI Act 2013 (Rev. 2014) Section 6(2)(c)
- To take disciplinary action or legal action or termination action on research misconduct or the occurrence of adverse event by instituting appropriate action on Research Team leaders of any research project or Researchers that have breached approved protocols or regulations or laws or ethical standards, as well as action because of adverse events or close out reports for studies.