All staff, students and affiliates of Torrens University Australia must obtain appropriate ethical clearance before commencing any activity involving human research.
Guidelines regarding human research
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 (2018), developed jointly by the NHMRC, ARC and Universities Australia.
What is human research?
- 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).
What is human research?
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).
Ethical approval for human research
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).
TUA HREC uses Ethical Review Manager (ERM) to administer the ethical review process.
View ERM2021 HREC meeting dates
| Application submission deadline | Meeting |
| 23 January 20201 | 3 February 2021 |
| 26 March 2021 | 7 April 2021 |
| 21 May 2021 | 2 June 2021 |
| 23 July 2021 |
4 August 2021 |
| 24 September 2021 | 6 October 2021 |
| 19 November 2021 | 1 December 2021 |
