University of Wollongong strives to build mutually respectful and cooperative relationships in a research environment that is ethical, culturally safe and provides opportunity for meaningful Indigenous-led research excellence.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research
Respectful research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples recognises their continuous connection to Country and diversity of culture, cultural expression, knowledges, and lived experience.
When conducting research involving or affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, communities, knowledges and culture, researchers must ensure that the research projects are:
- collaborative;
- strengths-based; and
- of real benefit to the people and communities involved.
In all aspects of the research, researchers should enable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities to freely make decisions about the research purpose, design, and protocols, and the roles and responsibilities of participation.
Researchers must acknowledge the sovereignty of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the ownership of research findings and report outcomes to the participants and communities who have engaged in research.
Before engaging in research
- Understand the guidelines and ethics review processes
- Be ethically and culturally aware (training and beyond)
- Engage with community
- Apply for UOW HREC approval
It is important that researchers take the time to understand the key guidelines and principles that underpin Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research, which is defined by the AIATSIS Code of Ethics as ‘all research that impacts on or is of particular significance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.’ This means that whenever research involves the planning, collection, analysis or dissemination of information or knowledge which is about or may affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples – whether or not Indigenous participants and communities are directly involved in the research – the information below must be considered. If you are unsure about any aspect of this guidance, please contact the Ethics Office at uow-humanethics@uow.edu.au for advice.
- Ethics applications for research that relates to the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal peoples and communities in NSW should be submitted to the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council (AH&MRC) HREC. If you are unsure as to whether your research falls into this category, please consult the information on the AH&MRC website.
As the AH&MRC HREC is registered with the NHMRC, UOW researchers who receive HREC approval from the AH&MRC are required only to submit an application for Acceptance of External HREC Approval to the UOW HREC, and are not required to submit a new application to the UOW HREC for review.
Consideration should always be given to whether there is a local HREC that would have more relevant knowledge of the cultural protocols of the community involved in the research than the UOW HREC. Where this is the case, the application should be submitted to that HREC and an application for Acceptance of External HREC Approval submitted to the UOW HREC.
If your research involves NSW Health and also requires approval by the AH&MRC, please contact the Ethics Office of the Local Health District involved in your research to check whether their HREC is also required to conduct a full review.
- The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) is Commonwealth statutory authority with responsibility for providing leadership in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research. AIATSIS has developed a comprehensive Code of Ethics for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research, as well as a useful Guide to Applying the AIATSIS Code of Ethics. When submitting to the UOW HREC, researchers are required to address the key principles from the AIATSIS Code of Ethics, as explained below, under ‘Applying for UOW HREC approval’.
- The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has devised a number of guidelines for researchers and stakeholders:
- Ethical conduct in research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and communities
- Keeping research on track II
- Chapter 4.7 ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ of the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research
- The University of Wollongong’s Code of Practice – Responsible Conduct of Research (PDF) states that research involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples or communities must be in accordance with the AIATSIS and NHMRC guidelines detailed above.
Researchers are encouraged to work through the AIATSIS - CORE Cultural Learning modules prior to engaging with Indigenous participants and communities for research. The Indigenous Strategy Unit has information available to support the development of a culturally safe and conscious UOW community.
Indigenous self-determination is Principle 1 of the AIATSIS Code of Ethics and expresses the fundamental right of ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to be engaged in research that affects or is of particular significance to them.’ Engagement with community moves beyond consultation and involves ‘building relationships of trust from which respect and the integrity of the research can flow.’
Meaningful engagement is an essential component of ethical Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research and, critically, commences prior to research design. Research should be ‘informed by Indigenous priorities, values, perspectives and voices’, which requires researchers to listen to community needs, with the aim of conducting research that benefits communities and participants on their own terms.
As noted in section 4.7.10 of the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research, ‘The research proposal should demonstrate evidence of respectful engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples…this might require letters of support from Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community Councils or other organisations accepted by the participating communities.’
When applying to the UOW HREC for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research, researchers are required to demonstrate how proposed research addresses the key principles from the AIATSIS Code of Ethics, as detailed below. Critically, there is an expectation that all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research demonstrates Indigenous self-determination and Indigenous leadership.
- Indigenous self-determination
‘The right of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to be engaged in research that affects or is of particular significance to them is now a fundamental principle that underpins all research in Australia.’ – AIATSIS Code of Ethics, p. 12
- Please explain in detail the community engagement that has taken place for this project. Please provide evidence of this, where possible.
- How will Indigenous participants/communities be recognised and acknowledged for their contribution to the research?
- Indigenous leadership
‘To demonstrate merit, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research should be led by Indigenous people. Research is considered Indigenous-led in Australia when Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people have genuine decision-making responsibility and the research is informed by Indigenous priorities, values, perspectives and voices.’ – AIATSIS Code of Ethics, p. 17
Please explain how Indigenous leadership will be achieved in this project.
- Is the project being led by an Indigenous researcher?
- Has the project established an Indigenous reference group?
- In what ways do Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples have genuine decision-making responsibility?
- Impact and value
‘Defining benefit and setting priorities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research should be informed by Indigenous perspectives, whether derived in relation to a specific project or more generally. It is inappropriate and potentially harmful for researchers or institutions to presume to determine what is best or not appropriate for, or of benefit to, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.’ – AIATSIS Code of Ethics, p. 20
Regarding the research benefit and reciprocity:
- How will Indigenous peoples and communities benefit from this research? How will reciprocity be achieved?
- How has benefit in this context been determined? Who was involved in defining this benefit?
Regarding the research impact and risk:
- Please describe how the potential impacts and risks of the research have been discussed with the involved communities and participants.
- What are the governance mechanisms and strategies for data collection, storage and access?
- How will this research respect Indigenous cultural and intellectual property (ICIP)? Will data be returned to the relevant community/communities?
- Sustainability and accountability
‘Respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their worldviews in the conduct of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research requires researchers and institutions to have accountability, over the long term, for the impacts of their actions. In its simplest form, sustainability principles require that research is designed and conducted to meet both present and future needs.’ – AIATSIS Code of Ethics, p. 21
Please explain how the proposed research will demonstrate sustainability and accountability.
- Will advice and guidance be sought from traditional custodians and knowledge holders about the Country? Will researchers be accompanied while on Country?
- How will honest and transparent reporting on the research project be achieved during and after the research project? How will this be communicated with the involved participants and communities?
- Will the research involve an ongoing partnership/relationship with the involved community/communities? Has an agreement been made for a certain period of time?
- How will relationships built in the process of this research be supported through time? How will the research team stay engaged after the research? Will benefits to the community continue to flow through time?
- Please consider how research that takes place on Indigenous lands and waters can walk lightly on Country.
Please use the additional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research application form (DOCX: 28.1 KB) when submitting to the HREC – the questions above are embedded in this document.