Integrity, Ethics and Compliance
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All research involving human participants is subject to review in accordance with the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research
The Charles Sturt University Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) is NHMRC-accredited. The HREC reviews research proposals involving human participants and their data.
The HREC perform the important task of ensuring ethical research practices for the university. They seek to protect the rights and welfare of participants, minimise the risk of harm, justify the benefit of research, and protect the university's research reputation.
The HREC is responsible for ensuring the four values of the National Statement are consistently applied to all Charles Sturt University research. These values protect participants' rights, dignity, and welfare and maintain community trust in the university’s research. The four values are:
Research should advance knowledge, used appropriate methodologies, and be designed to respect participants.
Research should be fair to all participants, and not exploit anyone, and have accessible outcomes.
The benefit of the research must outweigh risks of harm or discomfort to participants.
In ethical research, respect refers to the responsibility of the researcher to value and safeguard the contributions of participants. This includes protecting personal data, participant welfare and empowering the participant’s autonomy in the research process.
The National Statement is the guide that the HREC use to assess the ethical viability of a research proposal. The document should be carefully read and applied to your research to protect your potential participants.
If your research impacts on, or is of a particular significance to, First Nations peoples then you will need to apply the principles of the AIATSIS Code. These values are Indigenous leadership, Indigenous self-determination, impact & values, and sustainability & accountability. The Code should inform your research design and progression, and should be read in conjunction with the NHMRC's guidelines.