Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC)
RESEARCH ETHICS
ACAP University College 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 (2023), each developed jointly by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), the Australian Research Council (ARC) and Universities Australia. To differentiate what might constitute research and what might constitute a quality assurance activity, researchers are advised to check the NHMRC’s Ethical Considerations in Quality Assurance And Evaluation Activities (2014).
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
HREC Chair
- Associate Professor Fiona Ann Papps
HREC Deputy Chair
- Dr. Larissa Clarkson
Research Experts
- Dr. Tatenda Manomano (Social Work)
- Professor John Reece (Psychological Science)
- Associate Professor Vicki Hutton (Counselling)
Person with knowledge of, and current expertise in, professional care and treatment of people
- Ms. Belinda Jones
Person who performs a pastoral care role in a community
- Mr. Geoffrey Lienert
Lay Persons
- Dr. Christine Williams
- VACANT
Lawyer
- Ms. Ann Gibson
EXECUTIVE OFFICER
- Ms. Cathy Harris
Ex officio member – Associate Dean, Scholarship and Capability
- Ms. Gina Saliba
Ex officio member – Dean, Chair ACAP Scholarship and Capability Committee
- Professor Christopher Klopper
ACAP HREC Meeting Dates in 2025
January 2025 – No meeting
Document deadline: Wednesday 12 February 2025
Meeting date: Monday 24 February 2025
Document deadline: Wednesday 12 March 2025
Meeting date: Monday 24 March 2025
Document deadline: Wednesday 16 April 2025
Meeting date: Monday 28 April 2025
Document deadline: Wednesday 14 May 2025
Meeting date: Monday 26 May 2025
Document deadline: Wednesday 11 June 2025
Meeting date: Monday 23 June 2025
Document deadline: Wednesday 16 July 2025
Meeting date: Monday 28 July 2025
Document deadline: Wednesday 13 August 2025
Meeting date: Monday 25 August 2025
Document deadline: Wednesday 10 September 2025
Meeting date: Monday 22 September 2025
Document deadline: Wednesday 15 October 2025
Meeting date: Monday 27 October 2025
Document deadline: Wednesday 12 November 2025
Meeting date: Monday 24 November 2025
Document deadline: Wednesday 26 November 2025
Meeting date: Monday 08 December 2025
ACAP HREC Meeting Dates in 2024
Document deadline: Wednesday 17 January 2024
Meeting date: Monday 29 January 2024
Document deadline: Wednesday 14 February 2024
Meeting date: Monday 26 February 2024
Document deadline: Wednesday 13 March 2024
Meeting date: Monday 25 March 2024
Document deadline: Wednesday 10 April 2024
Meeting date: Monday 22 April 2024
Document deadline: Wednesday 15 May 2024
Meeting date: Monday 27 May 2024
Document deadline: Wednesday 12 June 2024
Meeting date: Monday 24 June 2024
Document deadline: Wednesday 10 July 2024
Meeting date: Monday 22 July 2024
Document deadline: Wednesday 14 August 2024
Meeting date: Monday 26 August 2024
Document deadline: Wednesday 11 September 2024
Meeting date: Monday 23 September 2024
Document deadline: Wednesday 16 October 2024
Meeting date: Monday 28 October 2024
Document deadline: Wednesday 13 November 2024
Meeting date: Monday 25 November 2024
Document deadline: Wednesday 27 November 2024
Meeting date: Monday 09 December 2024
PREPARING AN APPLICATION
- Guide to preparing an application
- Checklist for review of scientific merit and integrity (Staff research)
Templates:
- HREA Online Form
- Application Package: Quantitative
- Application Package: Qualitative
- Application Package: Social Media Scrape and Secondary Data Analysis
completed samples:
Qualitative
Quantitative
REVISING AND AMENDING AN APPLICATION
REPORTING, MONITORING, AND DATA MANAGEMENT
HREC ADVICE
HREC TRAINING
ACAP HREC Training Videos:
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Making an application
All research involving human participants conducted by staff and students ACAP University College 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.