Ethics and research integrity

All Monash University researchers, including Graduate Research candidates, are required to comply with the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research.

Ethics Training, Applications and Approvals

All Monash University researchers, including HDR candidates, are expected to meet the commitments and standards of academic integrity in teaching, service and research. When engaging with human beings in any way that informs your research, you must always seek the approval of the University Committee for Ethics and Compliance (ERM). This also applies to HDR candidates working with undergraduate students. For example, material / information / data collected by HDR candidates through their interactions as part of their undergraduate teaching and then utilising and incorporating this material into their HDR / research project requires ethics approval.

Obtaining ethics approval when working with university students is essential to ensure the ethical conduct of research, protect the rights and well-being of participants, and maintain the integrity and credibility of research findings. It should be obtained before initiating any research activities involving human participants and regardless of the type or scope of the project. Please refer to the human ethics intranet page for more information and a few examples of scenarios for which an ethics approval is required.

The ethics approval process is straightforward through the ERM portal and for the sort of work undertaken at MADA there is a relatively quick turnaround.

Please note: From  January 2024, the completion of the online Human Research Ethics module available through myDevelopment is mandatory for all HDRs undertaking human research activities and who want to submit an ethics application for review to the Monash University Human Research Ethics Committee. The appreciation and compliance of ethical principles in research is also part of the academic research integrity module in professional development and can be found here.

How to start an ethics application

Your primary supervisor will need to initiate the human ethics clearance application on your behalf.

Research Integrity Training

It is important that all researchers and HDR candidates adhere to responsible research practices, and the Research Integrity module in myDevelopment is designed to provide researchers with a basic understanding of the research practices.

Ethics information

  1. When do I need Ethics Approval | Video | PDF Transcript
  2. Conversations | Video | PDF Transcript
  3. Collaborations | Video | PDF Transcript
  4. Experiences | Video | PDF Transcript
  5. Delegating | Video | PDF Transcript
  6. Observations | Video | PDF Transcript
  7. Research Participation by Students in a Studio | Video | PDF Transcript
  8. Ethics requirements under the AIATSIS code | Video

The videos and transcripts cover a range of topics about Human Ethics that emerges from the specific dynamics of creative practice-led research, such as:

  • When Ethics approval is required
  • Use of communications with collaborators
  • Observations
  • Collection of data via the internet, e.g. crowd sourcing platforms
  • Use of publicly available information (images, videos, text etc.)
  • Research Participation by Students
  • Ethics requirements under the AIATSIS code

Presenters are

  • Dr Souheir Houssami, Executive Officer, Human Research Ethics, Office of Research Ethics and Integrity.
  • Ms Gitana Tye, Senior Indigenous Ethics and Integrity Specialist, Office of Research Ethics and Integrity.