The University of Queensland operates a peak ethical review committee, the Human Experimentation Ethics Review Committee (HEERC), and 2 ethics sub-committees, the Behavioural & Social Sciences Ethical Review Committee (BSSERC), and the Medical Research Ethics Committee (MREC).

HEERC is principally a committee of broad policy development and of appeal, while its 2 sub-committees consider research protocol applications at first instance in addition to policy development specific to the usual types of research protocols considered by them. These 3 institutional ethics committees are duly constituted under the Australian Human Ethics Committee (AHEC) which is a committee of the NHMRC.

Ambit of School Level Ethical Review Committee

Schools are encouraged to establish their own ethical review mechanism (if they have not already done so) to review research protocols from their students up to the level of, and including, PhD.

The general principle is that school level ethical review committees should consider research projects up to the level of, and including, PhD, in the following circumstances:

• Where the project involves no more than low risk (research is "low risk" where the only foreseeable risk is one of discomfort), and
• The school committee considers that it does not require institutional review (by either BSSERC or MREC.)

Projects involving commonly accepted professional or clinical practices and procedures may be assessed by a school ethics committee to be low risk.

The function of school committees is not the review of protocols involving more than low risk. School committees are not constituted under, or registered with, AHEC, nor should be so constituted or registered.

Protocols involving a higher risk will properly fall within the jurisdiction of one of the institutional ethics committees.

If the school committee considers the risk to be above the prescribed level, or considers it prudent in the circumstances, for an institutional ethics committee to review the protocol (e.g., because the research is of a particularly sensitive nature or the study population is a particularly vulnerable group), then the application may be referred to the appropriate institutional committee, i.e., BSSERC or MREC. Alternatively, the school committee may require the protocol to be amended in order to reduce the risk to within the threshold level.

Irrespective of the level of risk involved, research of a kind falling under the following chapters of the National Statement must be reviewed by one of the institutional ethics committees:

• Interventions and therapies, including clinical and non-clinical trials, and innovations (Chapter 3.3)
• Human genetics (Chapter 3.5)
• Human stem cells (Chapter 3.6)
• Women who are pregnant and human foetus (Chapter 4.1)
• People highly dependent on medical care who may be unable to give consent (Chapter 4.4)
• People with a cognitive impairment, an intellectual disability, or a mental illness (Chapter 4.5)
• People who may be involved in illegal activities (Chapter 4.6)
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (Chapter 4.7)

School Level Application Form

A standard application form for review by an institutional committee (BSSERC or MREC) is available as a document download from the UQ Human Ethics Website. Schools may wish to adopt this form for use in protocol submissions to their committees, as an alternative to developing their own individualized form.

School committees should maintain records of protocols reviewed.

It is expected that the research student's supervisor would carefully work with the student in completing the application form.

Additional Notes:

1. Where Schools do not currently have an operating ethics committee, they are encouraged to establish one, and may refer applications to the Institutional Committees.

2. Authority to approve research ethics submission is granted through the Human Experimentation Ethical Review Committee (HEERC) and its various sub-Committees. Principles of the National Statement and these guidelines must be adhered to.

3. The Chairperson of the School level ethics committee can refer protocols to the relevant University sub-Committee for clarification or advice at anytime, as well as deem that the risk on a submitted protocol is too great for their Committee to approve, and submit to the Ethics Officer for consideration by one of the sub-Committees.

4. Review of protocols by research academics are to be undertaken by the Institutional Ethics Committees (i.e., BSSERC or MREC).

Student submissions

5. Students up to and including PhD level, provided the risk criteria are satisfied, should submit a completed application form to their respective School ethics committee for process, after consultation with these guidelines, their peers and supervisors.

6. It is the student's responsibility to become acquainted with the review process and any specific requirements of submission to the School ethics committee. (e.g. closing dates, number of copies, etc.)

7. The School ethics committee may elect to have their own application form and it is the responsibility of the students to acquire the correct form for submission.

8. Students should be aware that the School ethics committee Chairperson may elect to submit their proposal for consideration to the appropriate University sub-Committee for advice.