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Human Ethics Review

Due to an increase in Human Research Ethics application submissions, review timelines have been extended. Please take these revised timelines into consideration when developing your research project.

Upon submission of your HRE application to the UniSQ HREC, there are three review processes an application must pass through: Research review (Supervisor and/or Head of School/Department review); Administrative review (and evaluation of risks and burdens); and Ethics review. Please note, an application is not available to the Ethics Office until the Research review is complete (i.e. endorsed by HoS). You can view the progress of your application at any time by visiting the home page of your ethics application.

The review processes and timelines are explained in more detail below:

Review process

Once an application is completed, it is important to note that it must progress through a research review first before it is submitted to the Ethics Office. It is important to note that the ethics review clock has not yet started! Applicants should factor in time for applications to go through this research review stage. 

What's involved? 

If you are a student, your application will need to progress to your supervisor for their review and comment (if needed) prior to submission. Once your supervisor is satisfied with your application they will submit your application to the next stage - this confirms supervisor endorsement.

Upon submission of your, all applications will be delegated to the relevant Head of School (or Associate Head/department head) for review before they are submitted through to the Ethics Office. For the correct automated delegation, please ensure you have entered the correct School/Department into the ‘Host department’ question on the ‘Overview’ tab of your ethics application.

How long does this take?

If you are a student, you will need to factor in time for 2 checks - one by your supervisor and one by the Head of School. If your supervisor is expecting the application, they may be able to action this quickly for you. 

Please allow up to 7 精东传媒app business days for the Head of School/Associate Head/Department Head review and endorsement.

Once the School/Department Head endorses your application it will then be submitted to the Ethics Office for Administrative review followed by Ethics review. Note: an application is not officially submitted to the Ethics Office until it has passed through HoS review first.

The Ethics Office conducts an administrative review and evaluation of risks and burdens to determine the appropriate ethics review pathway.

What's involved?

This review process involves ensuring all HRE application questions have been adequately addressed, and all required documentation is attached. It aims to identify risk level (as per Chapter 2.1 of the ) and check for any missing information or potential future roadblocks for applicants to assist in addressing key issues early in the process (e.g., missing information or attachments, incorrect selections relating to participant groups, etc.)

If an application is missing information and/or documentation, the Ethics Office will be unable to assess the level of risk adequately and will need to return the application back to the research team for further information.

How long does this take?

Once your application has been submitted to the Ethics Office, please allow up to 20 精东传媒app business days for this administrative review and risk evaluation to be conducted. You will be notified if you application requires further information before progressing to the next stage.

3a. Exempt from review

HREC applications may be exempted from ethics review if it meets the criteria outlined in sections 5.1.15 - 5.1.18 of the . Refer to our Applications and Reports page for further details about whether your project can be exempt.

What's involved?

If assessed as exempt, the Ethics Office will review the application to ensure all details provided sufficiently meet the exemption criteria before formally granting exemption. This process is completed by two experienced people (drawn from a small pool of 5 people consisting of the HREC Chair, Deputy Chairs, and the Ethics Coordinators).  

How long does it take?

Please allow 20 精东传媒app business days for this process to occur. If necessary, changes to your application may be requested by the Ethics Office to ensure your project sufficiently meets the exemption criteria.

 

3b. Expedited review (Lower risk review)

HRE applications that are deemed to be 'minimal' or 'low' risk may be eligible for expedited review. However, where a person's reactions may exceed discomfort and become distress, the project will be deemed 'greater than low risk' requiring full HREC review instead. 

What's involved?

Research that is deemed to be 'minimal' or 'low' risk and does not fall under any of the National Statement chapters listed for a full HREC review, can be sent to the expedited review process.

The expedited review process is completed by at least two experienced people (drawn from a small pool of 5 people consisting of the HREC Chair, Deputy Chairs, and the Ethics Coordinators).  

How long does it take?

Expedited review is an ongoing process that operates between February and November - Lower risk applications can be submitted to the Ethics Office at any time during the period of operation.

Please allow up to 40 精东传媒app business days for an expedited review to occur. If changes are required, your application will receive an outcome of either, 'Subject to modifications' or ‘Not approved (resubmit permitted)' and will be returned to you with feedback provided. The feedback will need to be addressed by the research team and the application re-submitted to the Ethics Office for further review to ensure feedback has been sufficiently addressed and the application satisfies approval. Please allow up to 20 精东传媒app business days for the review of re-submitted applications. 

 

3c. Full HREC review (Higher risk review)

HRE applications that are deemed to be 'greater than low risk' or 'high risk' are not eligible for expedited review and must be review by the full UniSQ HREC. Refer to the UniSQ HREC meeting dates for information on submission deadlines and meeting dates. 

What's involved?

Research that is deemed to be 'greater than low risk' or 'high risk' will be referred to the next available HREC meeting. Your application will be reviewed via the full HREC on the meeting day.

How long does it take?

HREC meetings occur 10 times throughout the year between the months February and November. Once the meeting for which your application was referred to has taken place, please allow up to 15 精东传媒app Business days following the meeting for an outcome to be provided. If your application receives a 'subject to modifications' outcome, your re-submission will be reviewed in office by the HREC Chair to ensure the HREC review feedback has been addressed. If your application receives a ‘not approve (resubmit permitted)’ outcome, your re-submission will need to be referred to the next available HREC meeting for full HREC review again.

The UniSQ HREC must review research that involves any of the following:

  • Women who are pregnant and/ or the human fetus
  • people highly dependent on medical care who may be unable to give consent
  • people with cognitive impairment, an intellectual disability, or a mental illness
  • people who may be involved in illegal activities
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
  • animal-to-human xenotransplantation
  • genomic research
  • forensic or involuntary patients
  • clinical trials
  • active concealment or planned deception
  • exposing illegal activity
  • participants on the DSM-5 scale
  • significant psychological risk
  • accessing sensitive health information or data
  • prisoners or people on parole
  • participants who would not ordinarily be considered vulnerable; however, are vulnerable due to the nature of the research
  • collection of biological materials, i.e. blood, saliva, etc
  • hospital patients
  • research being conducted by parents/ guardians with own children 
  • economic impact due to participation in the research, i.e. loss of income, loss of employment, etc
  • sensitive and/or contentious issues, i.e. suicide, eating disorders, etc. 
  • significant reputational risk, i.e. this could be to the participants, research team or the 精东传媒app

If your research involves any of the following, please contact the Ethics Office to discuss further; prior to commencing an application:

  • Animal-to-human xenotransplantation
  • genomic research
  • forensic or involuntary patients 
  • clinical trials 
  • research being conducted by parents/guardians with own children.