About NSERS

Mandate and regulatory oversight. Kenya’s National Scientific and Ethics Review System falls under the regulatory function of the National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI). NACOSTI derives its mandate from the Science, Technology and Innovation Act, 2013 (CAP 511).

National scientific and ethics advisory role. Within this system, NACOSTI established the National Scientific and Ethics Committee (NSEC) as a multi-institutional, multi-disciplinary, and pluralistic expert committee. NSEC draws members from institutions across the country to advise the Commission on research ethics and scientific quality.

Institutional review. Institutional Scientific and Ethics Review Committees (ISERCs) are accredited by NACOSTI and are based in universities, hospitals, and research institutions. ISERCs review research proposals for ethical clearance before NACOSTI issues the final research license.

Together, these bodies create a coordinated structure that supports consistent, high-quality, scientific, and ethically sound research review while streamlining approval.