Before You Begin

Key Steps

1. Visit the REMS Sharepoint site to access training resources and information

Please access the REMS SharePoint site where you will find comprehensive videos and guides to support human ethics applications in REMS- REMS Training. These resources have been specifically developed to support your learning, in your own time, on topics that are relevant to your research role. If, after watching the training videos and reading the training guides you still have questions, please email your questions to the Human Ethics Office.

2. Read the National Statement

If you think your proposed research will need ethics clearance, you should start the process by reading the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2018). Section 3 of the National Statement provides valuable guidance on the ethical considerations in the design, development, review and conduct of research.

Please also see our Key Ethical Concerns page for a summary of the key ethical concerns outlined in the National Statement.

3. Know your specific project needs and responsibilities

Research involving certain areas or particular groups of people have specific policies and guidelines that need to be followed. For example, if you are conducting research with children, you may need a working with vulnerable people card (WWVP). Specifically relating to the ANU, conducting research on ANU staff and students requires registration with ANU Planning and Performance Measurement Division (PPM). You can check whether there are additional requirements for your research on our Specific Research Areas page. If you don't find any information related to your research on this page, ensure you check with your supervisor (if relevant) or colleagues who are familiar with your research area.

Researchers wishing to engage ANU students within surveys will not be able to gain access to ANU e-mail addresses for students via the University because of the University's Privacy Act obligations, and thus alternative recruitment techniques will be necessary.

4. Prepare your supplementary documentation

As part of your Human Research Ethics application, you will need to (in most instances) upload supplementary documentation to accompany your application. This can include (not exhaustive);

- Participant Information Sheets (PIS)

- Consent forms

- Data Management Plan (DMP)

- Confidentiality agreements

Please find further information relating to this requirement on the Participant Information Sheet and Consent page.

5. Reach out for help

If you require assistance with your Human Research Ethics application, please contact: human.ethics.officer@anu.edu.au

Further tips on submitting your Human Research Ethics Application

Allow enough time for the application and review process. Obtaining Human Research ethics clearance may be a time-consuming process, so please build allowance for this into your research design. High-risk applications are assessed monthly, and depending on the amendments requested by the Committee, this may take longer than 8 weeks for approval. Lower risk applications are assessed more frequently and have a shorter turnaround time.
Student Human Research applications have further requirements. Research students can submit a Human Ethics application only after their supervisor has had a team created in REMS by the Human Ethics Office. The supervisor will then be required to add the student as a member of their team in REMS and create a project application for the student to fill out and submit. For a comprehensive guide/video in regards to this process, please visit this link: "HDR Candidates and Supervisors". Given the short time frame of many student research projects, it is especially important to allow time for the review process when planning. For more information about student applications, see the page Student and Supervisor Responsibilities in Research Ethics.