The risk profile of research applications determines the review process each application will be allocated to, and the associated timeframes for submission and review.

Research ethics

Your application will either be reviewed by the:

  • Chair of the HREC
  • Ethics Review Panel (ERP)
  • School Advisory Panel (SAP)
  • full HREC to be considered at its next meeting. 

Only higher risk research and Honours projects reviewed by the School Approval Process (SAP) in the Faculty of Health Sciences, have submission deadlines and specific meeting dates. All other applications will be reviewed out of session, and have no submission deadlines.

It is recommended you submit your application at least eight weeks before you intend starting your data collection to allow for the review process to be completed, as data collection cannot commence until the application has been approved.

Please see the risk profiles below to determine which review process is suitable for your specific research project.

Greater than low: Risk of harm (+/- foreseeable burden)

High: Risk of significant harm (+/- foreseeable burden)

Data collection with participants who are vulnerable, or research settings that are particularly unusual or uncomfortable e.g., clinical trials, minors, Indigenous participants, illegal activity, or participants with a cognitive impairment.

 
Review process Submission deadlines Approval timeframes
Application reviewed by the Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC).

Monthly deadlines, usually one month prior to the HREC meeting date.

View HREC meeting dates

 Dependant on the complexity of the project. Usually 4 weeks after the meeting. The whole process can take up to 8 weeks.

Minimal: No risk of harm or discomfort; potential for minor burden or inconvenience Innocuous data collection with no foreseeable risk, such as a survey that may be perceived as inconvenience.

Low: No risk of harm; risk of discomfort (+/- foreseeable burden)

Data collection on non-vulnerable participants in activities including overseas research, or where there may be risk of discomfort e.g., a survey or interview where slight distress or embarrassment may occur.

 
Review process Submission deadlines Approval timeframes
Application reviewed by the Expedited Review Panel. No deadlines, can be submitted at any time. Most applications are approved within 4-6 weeks.

The project has approval from an external NHMRC approved Australian HREC and ALL components of the project have ethics approval. Projects can only be registered when the ACU staff member and/or student are listed on the external approval and/or application form.

The approving institution will remain the responsible HREC. Even though the approving HREC will remain responsible for the research, the researcher will need to register the details of the clearance with the ACU. The ACU HREC must also be informed if the approving HREC approves a modification, cancels, suspends or withdraws the approval and must be notified if unexpected adverse events, complaints or grievances are raised. You will aals required to provide copies and acknowledgements of Annual Reviews and Final Reports from the external HREC.

Overseas ethics review

If your project has been reviewed by an international ethics committee, your project will be considered for registration on a case-by-case basis. However, if you intend to recruit Australian participants, you will need to complete a new ACU application, and be reviewed by ACU’s NHMRC registered HREC to ensure your project complies with Australian ethical standards.

 
Review process Submission deadlines Approval timeframes
Reviewed out-of-session by the Chair of the HREC. No deadlines, can be submitted at any time. Most applications are approved within 4 weeks.

The ACU staff member or student has active ethics approval for a project from an external NHMRC approved Australian HREC at another institution and is transferring ethical responsibility for the project to the ACU HREC (e.g. due to change of employment or enrolment).

 
Review process Submission deadlines Approval timeframes
Reviewed out-of-session by the Chair of the HREC. No deadlines, can be submitted at any time. Most applications are approved within 4 weeks.

A Waiver of Consent requires a researcher to seek approval from an ethical review body in order to use a person’s personal information or personal health information without obtaining consent directly from the individual in order to use that information in a research project.

The ACU HREC will only consider a Waiver of Consent where there are extenuating circumstances and researchers must provide justification for why it is not possible or impractical to seek consent from the original participants.

Review process Submission deadlines Approval timeframes
Reviewed out-of-session by the Chair of the HREC. No deadlines, can be submitted at any time. Most applications are approved within 4 weeks.

If you intend to establish a database for future research recruitment purposes and which would only store information on potential participants that is not considered to be personal, health or sensitive information. The database should only contain contact details and minor demographic details.

 
Review process Submission deadlines Approval timeframes
Reviewed out-of-session by the Chair of the HREC. No deadlines, can be submitted at any time. Most applications are approved within 4 weeks.

Non-identifiable, as defined by the National Statement, 5.1.22 (b) involves the use of existing collections of data or records that contain only non-identifiable data about human beings.

Research can be exempted from ethics review where there is negligible risk (no foreseeable risk of harm or discomfort and any foreseeable risk is no more than inconvenience). Generally exemptions are available for data that is in the public domain and is not identifiable and in some situations where data is in the public domain and it is identifiable eg: public webpages. Data that has the potential to identify participants does NOT qualify for an exemption from ethics review.

 
Review process Submission deadlines Approval timeframes
Reviewed out-of-session by the Chair of the HREC. No deadlines, can be submitted at any time. Most applications are approved within 4 weeks.

This is an expedited process for ACU Honours and Masters students in the Faculty of Health Sciences.

Minimal: No risk of harm or discomfort; potential for minor burden or inconvenience Innocuous data collection with no foreseeable risk, such as a survey that may be perceived as inconvenience.

Low: No risk of harm; risk of discomfort (+/- foreseeable burden) Data collection on non-vulnerable participants in activities including overseas research, or where there may be risk of discomfort e.g., a survey or interview where slight distress or embarrassment may occur.

If the research is deemed higher risk, then after SAP review, the application will also be reviewed by the HREC at their next meeting.

 
Review process Submission deadlines Approval timeframes
Expedited review of Honours & Masters projects within the Faculty of Health Sciences by the School Advisory Panel. April & November. Please liaise with The Faculty of Health Sciences for specific deadlines. Most applications are approved within 4-8 weeks of submission.

ACU does not have an Animal Ethics Committee and therefore cannot register such projects. However, ACU needs to record all projects that ACU staff are involved in.

Please email res.ethics@acu.edu.au to let ACU know that you are listed on a project involving the use of animals for research/scientific purposes.

Page last updated on 05/04/2024
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