Human Ethics Resources
The Regional Ethics Review Committees (HRECs) assist the Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) by undertaking ethics review and approval of ‘low risk’ human research projects.
The RERCs function at a ‘local’ level within major research areas of the University. RERC members are experienced researchers with responsibility for ethics review and approval of research proposals that do not require review by the HREC.
The RERCs function at a ‘local’ level within major research areas of the University. RERC members are experienced researchers with responsibility for ethics review and approval of research proposals that do not require review by the HREC.
Regional Ethics Review Committees (RERCs)
There are seven Regional Ethics Review Committees (RERCs) at the University of Western Australia. The RERCs complement the role of the HREC in reviewing and approving human research ethics proposals.The RERCs are delegated ethics review bodies of the University that are responsible for reviewing human research that entails a lower level of risk than that which requires consideration by a Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC).
The RERCs have been established by the University in accordance with the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (National Statement).
Role
The role of the RERCs is to protect all parties involved in human research, including research participants, research investigators, and the University of Western Australia.In doing this, the paramount concern is respect for the welfare, rights, dignity and safety of participants in accordance with the current National Statement.
The functions of the RERCs are to:
- Review and approve all Level 2 (‘low risk’) human research ethics projects.
- Report to the Deputy Vice Chancellor – Research (DVCR) on compliance of ‘low risk’ research projects with the National Statement.
RERC Membership
The members of the RERCs are experienced researchers at the University, with a broad expertise in research design and research ethics.Each RERC comprises the following members appointed by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research):
- A Chair
- Two, or more, additional members.
Terms of reference for RERCs
Although the Regional Ethics Review Committees (RERCs) are not constituted in the same manner as a Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) and they are not registered with the NHMRC, they must function in accordance with the requirements of the National Statement.
In addition, the RERCs operate in accordance with their Terms of Reference.
List of RERCs
The seven regional ethics committees at the University of Western Australia, and the Schools or research areas they serve, are:
Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences RERC
- School of Humanities
- School of Music
- School of Social and Cultural Studies
- School of Architecture, Landscape and Visual Arts
Busines RERC
- School of Business
Education RERC
- Graduate School of Education
Law RERC
- Law School
Medicine, Dentistry & Health Sciences RERC (including Biomedical Research)
- School of Dentistry
- School of Medicine and Pharmacology
- School of Paediatrics and Child Health
- School of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
- School of Population Health
- School of Primary, Aboriginal and Rural Health Care
- School of Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences
- School of Surgery
- School of Women's and Infant's Health
- School of Biomedical, Biomolecular and Chemical Sciences
Psychology RERC
- School of Psychology
Science RERC
- School of Anatomy & Human Biology
- School of Physics
- School of Sport Science, Exercise and Health
- School of Civil and Resource Engineering
- School of Computer Science and Software Engineering
- School of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering
- School of Environmental Systems Engineering
- School of Mathematics and Statistics
- School of Mechanical Engineering
- School of Agricultural and Resource Economics
- School of Animal Biology
- School of Earth and Environment
- School of Plant Biology
Meeting and submission deadlines
The RERCs meet regularly to review ‘low risk’ human research ethics applications from their disciplinary area. However, the RERCs generally do not meet according to a fixed schedule of meetings and there are no deadlines for the submission of human research ethics applications that are determined to be ‘low risk’ and are subsequently referred to an RERC for review and approval.Only the HREC meets according to a monthly meeting schedule from February to December every year. Therefore, all researchers should submit their ethics applications as soon as they have been completed to a quality standard that will allow for review and approval by one of the University’s ethics review bodies.
Remember, your ethics application may not need to be reviewed by the HREC; it may be sent to an RERC for review and approval.
University information
CRICOS Code: 00126G
