Since its creation in 2017, continuing the work initiated by the ethics and clinical trials commission and later by the ethics committee of the University of A Coruña, the CEID UDC [1] has undergone a continuous process of institutional strengthening. This process has been driven by the need to respond effectively to legislative changes, new challenges arising from scientific progress, and the increasing demands of the university community.
This evolution has made it possible to optimise its evaluation procedures, improve coordination with other university bodies and consolidate a working structure based on transparency, impartiality and technical rigour.
The development of the committee over these years reflects the sustained commitment of the UDC to promoting a responsible academic culture that respects ethical values and principles as well as applicable legal regulations. Likewise, its continued activity has helped strengthen the confidence of both the university community and society in the quality of research and teaching at UDC.
This institutional report presents the progress achieved, the key milestones and the results across different stages, as well as the evolution and consolidation of the CEID UDC in the field of research and teaching ethics at both the regional and national levels. Its work, supported by continuous updating and collective decision-making, is framed within the University's commitment to quality, integrity and social responsibility.
[1] The Ethics Committee, sometimes referred to as the Research Ethics Committee, was established on 20 October 2006. There is currently no precise information available regarding the date on which its activity ended. After consulting the archives of the Vice-Rectorate for Research and Knowledge Transfer, it has not been possible to locate documentation that would allow this date to be determined with certainty.
Establishment and definition (2017–2021)
During this stage, the CEID UDC was formally established and began structuring its internal functioning. The initial regulations, the criteria for ethical and methodological evaluation and the basic procedures for advice and review of research projects and academic work were defined.
During this period the Committee was created and its regulations approved, as well as the first appointment of members and leadership positions. Collegial deliberation processes were established and the committee began issuing ethical reports, including the ethical evaluation of research projects and the development of the first internal guidelines for bachelor’s and master’s theses.
The consultative function was also consolidated, awareness-raising actions on ethics and academic integrity were promoted at the UDC —such as the Declaration on Pseudoscience— and the committee participated in drafting the Code of Ethics for Research.
These actions contributed to improving the quality and rigour of research applications (bachelor’s theses, master’s theses and research projects), increasing and improving ethical guidance and advice to researchers and students, standardising research evaluation procedures and raising awareness within the university community about ethical practices and academic integrity.
Consolidation and formalisation (2021–2023)
During this stage, there was a partial renewal of the Committee’s members and positions, aligning it with Decree 63/2013 and initiating preparations for its official accreditation before the Regional Ministry of Health.
During this period the CEID UDC regulations were updated, expanding its internal structure, and standardised procedures for ethical evaluation were developed. In addition, the consultative role was strengthened through the coordination of reviews, the issuing of reports and the handling of queries by CEID members.
As a result of these actions, there was a sustained increase in requests for the evaluation of research projects and academic works, which doubled in 2022 compared to 2021. Furthermore, ethical guidance provided to researchers and students increased, improving both the quality of advice and awareness of academic and scientific ethics.
Accreditation and expansion of competences (2023–2025)
In November 2023, the CEID UDC obtained official accreditation from the Regional Ministry of Health, which allowed it to expand its competences to evaluate invasive research projects involving human beings within the UDC.
This official recognition, in accordance with Law 14/2007 on Biomedical Research, marked an important milestone in its consolidation. During this stage an online application form was also implemented, facilitating the evaluation process, and guidelines, standardised templates and informed consent documents were developed and updated to guide researchers.
The expansion of competences led to the coordination of evaluation committees, the review of research protocols and the handling of internal and external queries, disseminating ethical criteria to the university community. As a result, the number of non-assessable applications decreased and favourable reports at the first evaluation increased. In 2024, following accreditation, there was an increase in evaluated applications as well as improvements in the quality of submissions and the efficiency of report issuance.
An interdisciplinary composition has been maintained, including students, faculty members from all fields of knowledge, and technical and administrative staff of the University of A Coruña (UDC), together with independent members, ensuring gender balance and scientific diversity. The members of the UDC Committee on Research and Teaching Ethics (CEID UDC) throughout its history up to the present have been the following[1]:
Prof. Dr. Francisco Alonso Tajes. Health Sciences. Podiatry
Vice-Chair (2024–2025)
CEID UDC Member (2017–2024)
Prof. Dr. Óscar Miguel Álvarez-Calderón Iglesias. Health Sciences. Podiatry
CEID UDC Member (2025–present)
Prof. Dr. Pablo Arias Rodríguez. Health Sciences. Physical Activity and Sport Sciences
Chair, CEID UDC (2022–2024)
CEID UDC Member (2017–2022)
Dr. Angélica Consuegra Vanegas. External member / Physician
CEID UDC Member (2022–present)
Ms. Mercedes Corrales Lorenzo. Technical staff / Library
Secretary, CEID UDC (2018–2020)
Prof. Dr. Laura Cruz López. Social and Legal Sciences. Education Sciences. Pedagogy and Didactics
Chair, CEID UDC (2024–2025)
Secretary, CEID UDC (2017)
Vice-Chair (2021–2024)
CEID UDC Member (2017–2024)
Prof. Dr. Keina Espiñeira González. Social and Legal Sciences. Sociology and Communication Sciences
CEID UDC Member (2025–present)
Ms. Marta Fernández
CEID UDC Member
Prof. Dr. Alberto García. Social and Legal Sciences. Sociology
CEID UDC Member
Prof. Dr. Manuel Francisco Herrador Barrios. Construction Engineering
CEID UDC Member
Prof. Dr. María Amalia Jácome Pumar. Sciences. Statistics and Operations Research
CEID UDC Member (2021–2024)
Prof. Dr. Daniel Jove Villares. Social and Legal Sciences. Constitutional Law
CEID UDC Member (2022–2025)
Prof. Dr. Carmen de Labra Pinedo. Health Sciences. Physiotherapy, Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
CEID UDC Member (2025–present)
Prof. Dr. Ana Lista Paz. Health Sciences. Physiotherapy
CEID UDC Member (2021–present)
Prof. Dr. Antonio López. Sciences. Applied Mathematics
CEID UDC Member (2017–2019)
Prof. Dr. Luisa Losada Puente. Social and Legal Sciences. Research Methods and Diagnosis in Education
Vice-Chair, CEID UDC (2025–present)
Secretary, CEID UDC (2023–2025)
CEID UDC Member (2022–2023)
Prof. Dr. Noelia Martínez Doallo. Social and Legal Sciences. Private Law
CEID UDC Member (2025–present)
Prof. Dr. Lucía Núñez Fernández. Health Sciences. Pharmacology
CEID UDC Member (2022–present)
Ms. Anastasiia Ogneva. Social and Legal Sciences. Developmental and Educational Psychology
CEID UDC Member (2021–2022)
Prof. Dr. María Carolina Pereira Sáez. Social and Legal Sciences. Philosophy of Law
CEID UDC Member (2017–2021)
Prof. Dr. Manuel Pérez
CEID UDC Member
Prof. Dr. María Carolina Pereira Sáez. Social and Legal Sciences. Private Law
CEID UDC Member (2017–2022)
Ms. María Pérez Sánchez. Social and Legal Sciences. Research Methods and Diagnosis in Education
Secretary, CEID UDC (2025–present)
Prof. Dr. Federico Pomar Barbeito. Sciences. Plant Physiology
CEID UDC Member (2017–2021)
Prof. Dr. María Esther Rovira Sueiro. Social and Legal Sciences. Private Law
CEID UDC Member (2021–2025)
Prof. Dr. Teresa-Rosalía Pérez Castro. Health Sciences. Nursing
CEID UDC Member (2022–2025)
Prof. Dr. Pedro Marcos Reimunde Figueira. Health Sciences. Surgery
CEID UDC Member (2023–2025)
Ms. Carmen Rodríguez
CEID UDC Member
Mr. Marceliano Rodríguez Rodríguez. Technical, Management, Administration and Services Staff
CEID UDC Member (2022–2025)
Prof. Dr. Christoph Rudolf Scheinmoser. Social and Legal Sciences. Public Law
Secretary, CEID UDC (2025–present)
Prof. Dr. Miguel Ángel Saavedra García. Physical Education and Sport Sciences
CEID UDC Member (2025–present)
Ms. Araceli Sanjuán Pedreira. Technical staff / Library
Secretary, CEID UDC (2020–2022)
Prof. Dr. María Teresa Seoane Pillado. Health Sciences. Preventive Medicine and Public Health
CEID UDC Member (2024–present)
Prof. Dr. José Antonio Seoane Rodríguez. Social and Legal Sciences. Philosophy of Law
Chair, CEID UDC (2017–2021)
CEID UDC Member (2024–present)
Prof. Dr. Miguel Ángel Talavera Valverde. Health Sciences. Occupational Therapy
Chair, CEID UDC (2025–present)
Secretary, CEID UDC (2023–2025)
CEID UDC Member (2022–2023)
[1] In some cases, it has not been possible to determine the exact affiliation, position or period of participation of certain committee members. Despite consulting the archives of the relevant Vice-Rectorate, no documentation has been found that would allow these data to be completed with certainty; therefore, only those details that could be verified through documentary evidence have been included.