Contact us
- Ethics Secretariat
- T: +61 (2) 9850 4459
- E: ethics.secretariat@mq.edu.au
All staff and students who will be conducting research must apply to Macquarie University’s Human Research Ethics Committee for ethics review.
If you require ethics advice or guidance, consult a research ethics advisor (REA) prior to making a submission.
All applications and amendments must be submitted online using the Forms for Research Applications (FoRA) system. Staff and students can request an online or face-to-face information session by contacting ethics.secretariat@mq.edu.au.
Refer to Human Research Ethics Management support for more information about this system, which form to use (HREA or EAEF), and supporting resources relating to new submissions and the management of existing applications.
Your application must be submitted by the Chief Investigator. The Chief Investigator must be a Macquarie University staff member. For student projects, the Chief Investigator must be the primary supervisor. Students should be listed as Co-Investigators.
If you are doing research involving humans you will need to apply for ethics review.
Human Research is conducted with or about people, or their data or tissue. See the list of what is classified as human involvement.
You should still apply for ethics review at Macquarie University even if:
You can also complete the National Human Research Ethics Application (HREA) instead of the Macquarie University Ethics Application.
If your research does not involve Macquarie University or Macquarie University Hospital as a site, and you have approval from another Australian ethics committee to conduct research, you do not need to complete a Macquarie University ethics application.
Instead, you should submit a copy of all approved documents to the Ethics Secretariat online using the Forms for Research Applications (FoRA) system. The Ethics Secretariat will note your approval and provide a Macquarie University reference number.
If a teaching project is designed to teach research skills or the unit/teaching program has a research component, you should obtain ethical approval.
Approval is also required if the unit convenor intends to conduct their own research project on the collected data or the data will be shared with another researcher in the future.
All supporting documentation should be attached to the online application form in PDF format.
Supporting documentation may include:
Researchers must also choose appropriate data platforms for the sensitivity of their research data. This includes the survey platform to be used.
Refer to the information on data platforms and the additional considerations about human ethics and online survey platforms.
The National Statement defines:
Accordingly, research in which the risk for participants or others is greater than discomfort is not low risk research. Research in this category is considered higher risk research and carries risk of harm. Higher risk research requires review by a HREC.
Discomforts can involve body and/or mind and could include:
Refer to the following chapters in the National Statement when deciding risk level for your projects:
Project risk level | Assessment process | Response timeframe |
---|---|---|
Low risk | Faculty subcommittees review applications as they are submitted (there are no meetings) | Within 20 working days after submission |
Anything higher than low risk | The HREC reviews applications at the next available HREC meeting | Within 10 working days after the meeting |
If your application raises ethical issues that the subcommittee determines would require HREC review, then your application will be considered at the next available HREC meeting. The subcommittee administrator will advise you when the HREC will review your application.
All applicants will receive the ethics committee decision via email.
Note: During busy periods, such as the start and end of the year, it may take longer to process your application. Additionally, the University HRECs and subcommittees cease reviewing applications between late November and mid February.
It is the responsibility of the Chief Investigator to ensure HREC approval is obtained for all amendments prior to implementation. Failure to conduct research according to an approved protocol risks researchers’ legal indemnity, right to publication and opportunity to seek future funding.
An amendment may include, but is not limited to, changes to:
The Higher Degree Research Office requires students provide evidence of ethical approval to submit their theses for assessment.
Where modifications require changes to public document/s – such as participant information statements, consent forms, advertisements and questionnaires – you should include amended documentation with your modification request. Provide tracked and clean copies of any amended documentation.
You can amend your application at any time, even after it has received final approval, online using the FoRA system.
Notification of the outcome is sent to the Chief Investigator by email. Possible outcomes include:
If you are asked to make changes to your application, these changes may need to be reviewed by the HREC at a meeting.
HRECs and subcommittees require that any issues be addressed within six weeks. This is to ensure that research is not undertaken without prior ethics approval.
In planning your research, you should allow sufficient time for human research ethics review.
You should submit a final report when you:
You may, however, send participants a summary of research findings after the final report has been submitted.
Report adverse events to the approving HREC as soon as possible.
An adverse event is a harmful, unpleasant or undesirable response, reaction or outcome experienced by a research participant or researcher.
Such incidents may include:
We do not charge fees for applications submitted for ethics review from researchers who are full-time, part-time, or visiting appointees to the University, unless they are engaged in sponsored research.
Fees will be charged for ethics review by a Macquarie University HREC for:
Fees for HREC review are incurred upon application submission and due upon invoice issuance post-review. Fees charged remain at the discretion of the Director, Research Ethics and Integrity.
The current fee schedule for commercially sponsored and external research are listed below.
Service/project type | Total (AUD, including GST) |
---|---|
Commercially sponsored or external research project | $4015 |
Externally Approved Ethics Form (EAEF) – New Application | $2035 |
Major amendment | $2035 |
Minor amendment | $660 |
Renewal/extension application for commercially sponsored or external research project | $660 |
Service/project type | Total (AUD, including GST) |
---|---|
Commercially sponsored or external research project | $1100 |
Externally Approved Ethics Form (EAEF) – New Application | $600 |
Major amendment | $550 |
Minor amendment | $125 |
Renewal/extension application for commercially sponsored or external research project | $125 |
All applications and amendments must be submitted online
Access FoRA systemView resources about forms and managing your applications
Learn more about FoRASee our guidelines for submitting applications in FoRA
Download applicant guide