Application support

• Not sure where to start?
• Have a question about your Ethics application?
• Unsure how to use the National Statement?
• Not sure if you need an amendment to your current ethics approval?

Drop in to an online session every

Wednesday, anytime between 2:00pm and 3:00pm AEST.  

Zoom session: https://usq.zoom.us/j/87531293496

No need to book!

Simply drop into the session to talk to one of our experienced Ethics team members. 

*** Please note, sessions are one-on-one. Upon joining you will be placed in a waiting room and let in when you are next in queue. ***

For further information about Human Research Ethics check out the information, resources, and template documents available within our Human Ethics webpage. 

• Head to the Research Data and Analytics SharePoint site and the Ethics Monitor SharePoint site for various resources and information about RISE - Ethics Monitor.
• You can also refer to the Human Ethics Training Guide for step-by-step instructions.
• Have a technical issue with RISE - Ethics Monitor? - Follow the link to log a service request.

Your ethics application will be deemed greater than low risk, and must be reviewed by the UniSQ HREC at a scheduled meeting, if it involves any of the following:

• An identified risk that could result in distress rather than discomfort
• women who are pregnant and/or the human fetus
• people highly dependent on medical care who may be unable to give consent
• people with cognitive impairment, an intellectual disability, or a mental illness
• people who may be involved in illegal activities
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
• animal-to-human xenotransplantation
• genomic research
• forensic or involuntary patients
• clinical trials
• active concealment or planned deception
• exposing illegal activity
• participants on the DSM-5 scale
• significant psychological risk
• accessing sensitive health information or data
• prisoners or people on parole
• participants who would not ordinarily be considered vulnerable; however, are vulnerable due to the nature of the research
• collection of biological materials, i.e. blood, saliva, etc
• hospital patients
• research being conducted by parents/ guardians with own children 
• economic impact due to participation in the research, i.e. loss of income, loss of employment, etc
• sensitive and/or contentious issues, i.e. suicide, eating disorders, etc. 
• significant reputational risk, i.e. this could be to the participants, research team or the University

If your research involves any of the following, please contact the Ethics Office to discuss further; prior to commencing an application:

• Animal-to-human xenotransplantation
• genomic research
• forensic or involuntary patients 
• clinical trials 
• members of the veteran community
• research being conducted by parents/guardians with own children.  

For more information about what constitutes greater than low risk, please refer to the National Statement, specifically: Chapter 2.1; Chapters 3.2 - 3.4; and Section 4. 

Some research involving humans and/or human data may be eligible for exemption. A HRE application must be submitted to the UniSQ Ethics Office for an exemption assessment to be made and a formal exemption granted. Research must not commence until an official exemption has been granted by the UniSQ HREC.

A Human Research project may be eligible for exemption from ethics review if it carries a lower risk to participants or the community and meets one or more of the following criteria:

1. involves the use of collections of information or data from which all personal identifiers (non-identifiable) have been removed prior to being received by the researchers and where researchers explicitly agree:

(a) not to attempt to re-identify those with whom the information or data is associated;

(b) to take all reasonable steps to prevent re-identification of the information or data for unauthorised purposes or access to the information or data by those who are not authorised; and

(c) that any sharing of any Research data during or after the project will not create any additional risks or re-identification of the information or data.

2. the research is restricted to surveys and observation of public behaviour using information that was or will be collected and recorded without personal identifiers and is highly unlikely to cause distress to anyone associated with the information or the outcomes of the research.

3. is conducted as a part of an educational training program in which the Research Activity is for training purposes only and where any outcomes or documentation are for program use only.

4. uses only information that is publicly available through a mechanism set out by legislation or regulation and that is protected by law, such as mandatory reporting information, information obtained from registries of births and deaths, coronial investigations, or reports of the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Research that involves the use of personal information without consent cannot be granted an exemption from ethics review because, to conduct such research, a waiver of the requirement for consent would need to be granted the UniSQ HREC.

Advice on exemption should be sought from the Ethics team in the Office of Research.

The UniSQ Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) find researchers commonly struggle with adequately addressing the questions within the "Benefit and Risk” section of the Human Research Ethics (HRE) application. 

Generally, most research projects will have some element of risk that needs to be identified and addressed. Therefore, “no foreseeable risk” is not an appropriate response to address the Benefit and Risk questions adequately. 

It is a requirement of the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2023) that researchers are responsible for designing research to minimise the risks of harm or discomfort to participants. 

Please note research is ethically acceptable only when its potential benefits justify any risks involved in the research.

Outline the benefits

This question of the HRE application requires you to outline the potential and real risks to participants. Benefits of research may include, for example, gains in knowledge, insight and understanding, improved social welfare and individual wellbeing, and gains in skill or expertise for individual researchers, teams or institutions.

Define the risks

This question of the HRE application requires you to consider any real or potential risks participants may encounter if they participate in the research project. This includes identifying any risks that may be long term/post participation in the research project.

Common risks identified by UniSQ researchers:

• Physical, i.e. potential injury due to participating in exercise-based activities
• Psychological, i.e. interviews seeking information on past traumas
• Social, i.e. research with work colleagues
• Time imposition, i.e. significant time required to participate in multiple research activities
• Economic, i.e. direct or indirect costs to participants
  • Indirect – participants incur a fee to participate in the research
  • Direct – participant potential loss of employment due to participation in the research project
• Legal, i.e. research that aims or is likely to uncover illegal activities
  • Note although researchers are required to keep research data confidential there may be situations where researchers are subpoenaed to release information 
  • It should also be noted that some researchers may be legally obligated to report incidences. For example, a researcher who is also a registered teacher must report any incidences of child abuse even if this is uncovered during a research activity.

Minimising the risks

As a part of identifying the risks, you will as need to consider how you are, or planning to, minimise/negate the risks. You are likely to already have processes in place to minimise these risks.

When addressing this question in the HRE application, outline how you will manage each risk you have identified when defining the risks. 

Referral services

Depending on the risks and your participants, it may be appropriate for participants to be referred to support services. If participants are to be referred to support services, ensure the services are appropriate to the risks and the participants.

Risks to the research team

Consider if any risks are present for the research team. Think of this like a Workplace Health and Safety (WHS). For example, researchers conducting interviews in a participant's home would involve potential risks to the researchers that will need to be considered and minimised.

Further information on benefits and risks can be found in Chapter 2.1 of the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2023).

All research projects should have completed a Research Data Management Plan (RDMP).You can create an RDMP in the RISE - Repository.

In your HRE application, you will have an opportunity to link to an existing RDMP, create a new one, or provide sufficient detail that explicitly outlines how data will be managed during and after the research project.

Research Data must be stored in one primary location and two back-up locations. Refer to the University’s Research Data Management Procedure to ensure your proposed practice is suitable.

If you have any questions relating to data management planning, refer to the Library's resources and contact the Research Support Team if you need assistance with your data management plan. 

A conflict of interest in the context of research exists where:

• our interests or responsibilities have the potential to influence the carrying out your institutional role or professional obligations in research; or
• an institution’s interests or responsibilities have the potential to influence the carrying out of its research obligations.

A conflict of interest can relate to financial interests or benefits that depend significantly on the research outcomes. 

A conflict of interest may compromise the research. Therefore, if your research project involves a conflict of interest (real or perceived), it must be indicated within your HRE application. 
Chapter 5.4 of the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2023) provides further information on conflicts of interest.

Who needs to obtain permission?

Anyone (including Research Workers external to UniSQ) wishing to contact UniSQ students and/or staff for research purposes (e.g. participation in surveys, interview, focus groups, etc) needs to obtain permission from the relevant responsible officer at UniSQ. 

Obtaining permission at UniSQ

Before conducting the research with or about human participants, please contact the responsible officer at UniSQ to request permission to recruit staff or students for participation in research, as per below:

• Students within a course or program in one discipline area – Head of School.
• Students within multiple Programs across more than one School – Dean (Academic).
• Students across the whole of University campus/es – Associate Provost.
• UniSQ staff – Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) (Note: Ethics approval is required to be obtained before requesting DVC R&I permission to recruit UniSQ staff). 

The following details should be included in your request for permission:

• evidence of HREC approval (only required for requests to DVC R&I)
• project title
• primary/ chief investigator name
• primary/ chief investigator contact details (phone & email)
• affiliation (name of the school, department, University, work area or external organisation)
• short summary (plain English) of project
• aim of the project
• participants groups and the method of recruitment
• the time period when the research activities are expected to take place (e.g. Semester two)
• prize/ incentives (if applicable)

Evidence of permission to recruit UniSQ students must be provided within your UniSQ human research ethics application.

The UniSQ Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) is not currently accepting ethics applications from non-affiliated or independent researchers.