Approval: Guidelines, Application and Reporting
Notification of ethical approval from affiliated hospitals | Ethical approval from another institution | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples |Research on self
Introduction
University staff, students enrolled in the University and persons in any way associated with or sponsored by the University who are involved in a human research project must ensure that the project has undergone the appropriate level of ethical review before it can commence.
Ethical review is undertaken by the University’s Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) at various levels. Note: from 1 January 2012, ethics approval is granted for a period of three years subject to annual progress reporting. Ethics approvals may be extended subject to submission of a satisfactory ethics renewal report prior to the project approval expiry date.
Note: the HREC is not able to give retrospective ethics approval to projects which have already commenced.
A subcommittee is established for Psychology to deal with low risk research projects. Researchers should consult with the convenor of this subcommittee regarding the application process.
Note: all researchers proposing to conduct surveys with University staff, students or Alumni as participants must also comply with the University's Survey Framework administered by the Survey Reference Group (SRG). This approval process is independent of the HREC. For more information refer to www.adelaide.edu.au/pvclq/survey/.
Notification of ethical approval from affiliated hospitals
The University of Adelaide accepts ethics approval for clinical staff members who have been granted approval by one of the following hospital Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC)
- Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH)
- The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (TQEH)
- Children, Youth and Women's Health Service (CYWHS)
Researchers are required to notify the University of Adelaide of these approvals within fourteen days of receiving ethical clearance by completing the online form:
Notification of Ethical Approval from Affiliated Hospitals (previously known as Notification of Human Research Ethics Approval Form)
Access to this form is controlled using the same username and password as your University email account. Guidance information is contained within the notification form and once completed it can be electronically lodged. Please contact the HREC Secretariat if you require further clarification or need assistance using the form.
Researchers are required to notify the HREC Secretariat of the completion date of the project.
Ethical approval from another institution
Where ethics approval for a project has been obtained from another institution which is not one of the affiliated hospitals listed above, researchers are required to submit an ethics application to the University of Adelaide HREC using the application forms available on this website.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
Proposals to conduct research involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples or communities need to be submitted to the HREC. Researchers should refer to both the:
National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2007)
Research on self
In general, experiments by a researcher on himself or herself will not be approved, as self-experimentation lacks meaningful informed consent in the manner required. However, where the proposed procedure is in no way dangerous or unreasonable, and where objectivity in the observation of results can be maintained, self-experimentation may be approved.
