Human research ethics
Human research ethics at Torrens University
Torrens University Australia (TUA) is committed to the ethical and responsible conduct of human research and aligns to the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research 2025, referred to as the National Statement.
"Human research is research conducted with or about people, or their data or tissue." (National Statement) In line with the National Statement, research projects at TUA that involve people, their data or tissue, require review and approval in writing, prior to commencement.
Retrospective ethics approval cannot be provided as this contravenes the requirements of the National Statement.
The term ‘participants’ is used very broadly to include those who may not even know they are the subjects of research. In Australia, the National Statement is designed to clarify the responsibilities of institutions and researchers for the ethical design, conduct and dissemination of results of human research.
The purpose of the National Statement is to promote ethical human research. Fulfilment of this purpose requires that participants be accorded the respect and protection that is due to them. It also involves the fostering of research that is of benefit to the community.
EthicsRM system
At Torrens University Australia, ethics applications are managed via the Ethical Review Manager (Ethics RM) system. A user profile can be established by selecting the green button 'new user' on the EthicsRM login page. The ethics application form within EthicsRM is a NHMRC licensed version of the Human Research Ethics Application (HREA), in accordance with the ethical principles of the National Statement 2025.
Use of Secondary Data
All human research is covered under the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2025).
The ethical collection of data involving humans for the purposes of research involves a critical step: obtaining informed consent. People must be capable of understanding why a researcher is seeking to collect data about them, be aware of how the data will be used, protected, and destroyed. Only if the person fully understands the risks associated with their data being collected, and agrees, can data be collected. If the data is to be kept for a future unknown purpose, human participants must also consent to this.
Exemption from HREC Review
The National Statement allows certain human research to be exempted from ethical review, under specific circumstances as follows.
Evaluating Secondary Data
How to Apply for Ethical Review of Secondary Data
The Human Research Ethics Manager should be contacted if your human research project involves using only existing data or records and non-identifiable data. The HREC will make the assessment about an exemption and also provide you with a Letter of Exemption for your records and future reference. If in doubt, the safest option is to email the HREC and seek advice.