All CDU researchers (employees, honorary appointees or visitors) and research students must obtain approval through the CDU-HREC for research involving human subjects or their data, once the methodology of the research project, the oversight of its conduct, and the requirements of any third parties are fully understood. The ethics proposal must explain how the research will be conducted ethically and with minimal risks to participants.
The University is committed to minimising risk to participants, researchers, third parties and the institution itself whilst ensuring review processes are efficient, constructive and proportional to the sensitivities and risks associated with individual projects.
Human research ethics review processes are undertaken through either the Executive Review pathway or the Committee Review pathway depending on the nature of the project and its intended participants.
For more information regarding these two pathways, refer to the Submission of new proposals.
Review exemptions
Some research projects that utilise existing, publicly available non-identifiable data and which are of negligible risk may be eligible for exemption as per Chapter 5.1 of the National Statement. A letter of Exemption can also be sought from the CDU-HREC where required.
Reciprocal applications
CDU is committed to recognising approvals by other properly registered ethics committees by means of reciprocal approvals.
Projects which already have ethical clearance approval from another HREC but which involve CDU staff or students as investigators must seek reciprocal approval from the CDU-HREC.
Further information regarding this executive review process is available under the Frequently Asked Questions.
First Nations research
Research that relates to First Nation peoples of Australia should be informed by First Nations research ethics principles outlined in AIATSIS Code of Ethics for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research and the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Ethical conduct in research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and communities: Guidelines for researchers and stakeholders (2018). All Indigenous research requires full HREC review.