Ethics

Torrens University Australia researchers should refer to the University’s Ethical Conduct of Research Procedure for information about ethics processes and considerations at Torrens. The University procedure is informed by the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2007), developed jointly by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), the Australian Research Council (ARC) and Universities Australia. There are also specific national guidelines for the ethical conduct of research in the area of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health: Values and Ethics – Guidelines for Ethical Conduct in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Research. In addition, University researchers must be aware of and comply with the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research (2007), developed jointly by the NHMRC, ARC and Universities Australia.

Human research is any research conducted with or about people, or their data or bodily tissues. It includes:

• Taking part in surveys, interviews or focus groups
• Undergoing psychological, physiological or medical testing or treatment
• Being observed by researchers
• Researchers having access to their personal documents, information or other materials, including when taken from an existing database.
• The collection and use of bodily tissues or fluids (e.g. skin, blood, urine, saliva, hair, exhaled breath, bones and biopsy specimens).

The Torrens University Ethics Committee operates as the University’s Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) and monitors the ethical conduct of all human research at Torrens. Researchers must seek ethics clearance from the Ethics Committee before commencing any human research activity. Human research may be:

• Negligible/low risk (the foreseeable risk to human participants in the research is of inconvenience or discomfort only).
• High risk (there is a foreseeable risk of harm to human participants in the research OR the research involves particular participant groups or methodologies).

All researchers planning to undertake research should complete the Torrens University Ethics Application form and submit it to the HREC at ethics@laureate.net.au. The application form is available to staff and higher degree students from the Research Officer Forms are available on the Policies and Forms page under “Higher Degree Research Ethics and Progression Forms”. 2019 HREC meeting dates and current HREC members

Application Due	Meeting
25 January 2019	6 March 2019
22 March 2019	3 April 2019
24 May 2019	5 June 2019
26 July 2019	7 August 2019
20 September 2019	2 October 2019
22 November 2019	4 December 2019

 

All queries about the ethical conduct of human research at Torrens University, including concerns about effects on participants, should be directed to the Research Officer at ethics@laureate.net.au. The Research Officer will refer issues to the Ethics Committee as necessary.