Indigenous Ethics and Integrity
Monash University is committed to supporting Indigenous-led research that has positive benefits and impacts for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and Communities.
What is Indigenous research?
Monash University has adopted the definition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research from the AIATSIS Code of Ethics, which “includes all research that impacts or is of particular significance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. This includes the planning, collection and dissemination of information or knowledge, in any format or medium, which is about or may affect Indigenous peoples, either collectively or individually in any of the following ways:
- The research is about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, communities, culture and/or knowledge, policies or experience
- The target population is Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, groups or communities
- The target population is not explicitly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals or communities but the research includes a significant number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have been incidentally recruited and researchers wish to do separate analysis of Indigenous-specific data
- There are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals contributing to the research
- There is new or pre-existing data related to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples being used in the research
- The research concerns Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ lands or waters.”
All researchers conducting Indigenous research must be able to demonstrate how their project incorporates the four principles of the AIATSIS Code of Ethics.
Indigenous research at Monash University
The Indigenous Ethics and Integrity Office support researchers in navigating the AIATSIS Code of Ethics and other relevant guidelines specific to Indigenous research. We provide a number of resources to assist the research community and offer a comprehensive training program mandatory to all those involved in Indigenous research.
Our office works closely with the Human Ethics Team as all Indigenous research at Monash must be approved by, or registered with, the Monash University Human Research Ethics Committee (MUHREC) before the work can begin. An Indigenous subcommittee of MUHREC review all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research from a cultural perspective in addition to MUHREC review.
