research at ACAP
Research Ethics
research at ACAP
Research Ethics
Conducting research with honesty and integrity.
RESEARCH ETHICS
The Australian College of Applied Professions believes that all research should be conducted with honesty and integrity, and follow responsible and ethical research practices. All ACAP students, staff and research partners engaged in research with ACAP are expected to adhere to the standards of ethical conduct prescribed in the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research (2018), as well as the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2007), each developed jointly by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), the Australian Research Council (ARC) and Universities Australia.
Additionally, researchers at ACAP engaged in research involving indigenous concerns or participants must adhere to the Ethical conduct in research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and communities (2018) and the Keeping research on track II (2018), developed by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and the Guidelines for Ethical Research in Indigenous Studies (2012), developed by the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies.
RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN PARTICIPANTS
All research undertaken by ACAP students and staff that involves human participants requires ethics approval from the ACAP Human Research Ethics Committee (ACAP HREC) before the research is commenced. Through this ethics approval process research is assessed for quality, safety, privacy, risk management, financial management and ethical acceptability in accord with the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research.
This process of ethical review and approval reassures researchers that their research project complies with the Code and Standards and related statutory requirements, and has moral validation as well as institutional backing. It also provides researchers with an opportunity to enhance the rigour and quality of their project.
Researchers of ACAP HREC approved human research projects are also required to submit an annual progress report to the ACAP HREC.
Further information can be found under the relevant sections below.
ACAP Human Research Ethics Committee
Terms of Reference
Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) Operations Manual
Chair / Research Expert
- Associate Professor Fiona Ann Papps
Acting Deputy Chair/ Research Expert
- Dr Larissa Clarkson
Research Experts
- Professor John Reece
- Dr. Larissa Clarkson
- Dr. Sharon Aris
- Dr. Peter Spratt
- Associate Professor Vicki Hutton
Lawyer
- Ms Ann Gibson
Person with knowledge of, and current experience in, the professional care, counselling or treatment of people
- Ms Belinda Jones
Lay Persons
- Mr Michael Voulgaropoulos
- Dr. Christine Williams
ACAP HREC Meeting Dates in 2023
Document deadline: Friday 20 January 2023
Meeting date: Monday 30 January 2023
Document deadline: Friday 17 February 2023
Meeting date: Monday 27 February 2023
Document deadline: Friday 17 March 2023
Meeting date: Monday 27 March 2023
Document deadline: Friday 14 April 2023
Meeting date: Monday 24 April 2023
Document deadline: Friday 12 May 2023
Meeting date: Monday 22 May 2023
Document deadline: Friday 16 June 2023
Meeting date: Monday 26 June 2023
Document deadline: Friday 14 July 2023
Meeting date: Monday 24 July 2023
Document deadline: Friday 18 August 2023
Meeting date: Monday 28 August 2023
Document deadline: Friday 15 September 2023
Meeting date: Monday 25 September 2023
Document deadline: Friday 13 October 2023
Meeting date: Monday 23 October 2023
Document deadline: Friday 17 November 2023
Meeting date: Monday 17 November 2023
Document deadline: Friday 1 December 2023
Meeting date: Monday 11 December 2023
PREPARING AN APPLICATION
- Guide to preparing an application
- Checklist for review of scientific merit and integrity (Staff research)
Templates:
- Checklist
- Risk Assessment Checklist
- Cover Page
- Project Description
- Project Description Appendices
- Services List
- HREA Online Form
Completed samples:
Qualitative
Quantitative
REVISING AND AMENDING AN APPLICATION
REPORTING, MONITORING, AND DATA MANAGEMENT
HREC ADVICE
Participant groups
Student Research
ACAP students in some advanced degrees are required to complete a significant piece of independent scholarly research as part of their learning. These research projects aim to contribute new and meaningful knowledge to a range of topical areas. Once approved, a list of current research projects being conducted by ACAP students will be available on this page. In addition to information about each project, there is also a link to enable participation. All approved projects have been reviewed both for scientific merit and to ensure that ethical standards are met.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Making an application
All research involving human participants conducted by staff and students of Navitas Professional Institute (ACAP, NCPS) must undergo ethical review by the HREC prior to commencement of the research.
Due to the volume of applications received, and the short time frame for HREC members to review applications, HREC document submission deadlines cannot be overridden. Applications received after the document deadline will be held over to the next HREC meeting.
Currently, approximately 15% of applications are approved as submitted. There are a number of factors which can prevent your ethics application from being approved on initial review. One of the most common factors being inexperience by the researcher in submitting ethics applications. Students submitting an ethics application must have the application reviewed by their supervisor prior to submission to the HREC. Supervisors will have experience in completing HREA and an understanding of what is required by the HREC.
After you apply
Once your application has been reviewed, the minutes of the meeting are compiled for approval by the HREC Chair. The feedback from the meeting is then sent in a Notice of Outcome via email to the applicant and supervisor.
The Notice of Outcome will list the changes that need to be made or the additional information that is required. Where the Committee says ‘for noting’, this is not something that must be changed but should be acknowledged by the applicant.
On return of the revised HREA the application will then follow one of two courses of action as indicated on the ethics notice. These consist of the following:
1. Full review by HREC;
2. Review by Chair.
You will be notified of the outcome of your revised application within 7 business days of receipt by the HREC Secretary.
It is uncommon for an application to be rejected by the HREC. If the applicant disagrees with the feedback of the HREC the applicant will need to submit information in an email to the HREC Secretary addressing why the applicant disagrees with the feedback. This will be assessed by the HREC Chair for review and determination.
To request approval for changes to approved research or an extension of time, an email outlining the request/changes needs to be sent to the HREC Secretary. If there are any ethical implications that arise due to the change, this will need to be addressed in the email, and updated information sheets and consent forms submitted if necessary.
Yes. In accordance with Section 5.5.5 of the National Statement on Ethical Conduct on Human Research (2007), progress reports on approved research must be submitted at least annually.
The ethics approval notice will advise the date that you need to submit your progress report. Progress reports are to be emailed to the HREC Secretary and should be completed using the progress report template.