UWA is a member of the Committee on Publication Ethics

Australian code of conduct

The University and its staff and students are bound by the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research. The Code has broad relevance across all research disciplines, guiding institutions and researchers in responsible research practices. Staff in supervisory positions have a responsibility to ensure that staff and students engaged on research projects have the appropriate skills, experience, training, advice and support to conduct quality research, safely and responsibly.

Addressing concerns

We take seriously all concerns, including those that are made anonymously. We ask that all reports of concerns be made in good faith, confidentially and without malice. Complainants will, as far as practicable, be kept updated about the process of investigating and responding to their concerns.

We accept concerns or complaints from various sources. This includes:

• Members of the public
• Funding bodies
• University staff or students.

We receive concerns or complaints in various forms. 

You can email researchintegrity@uwa.edu.au or use our public complaint portal on our webpage.

At UWA, we are dedicated to supporting ethical and responsible research. Our focus on integrity guides our work and partnerships, ensuring that all research is conducted with respect and professionalism. We offer robust review systems and comprehensive training programs to help researchers manage their projects ethically and effectively.

Requirements

The use of animals for scientific purposes at The University of Western Australia (UWA) by staff or students must comply with the requirements of the Animal Welfare Act 2002 (WA) (The Act) and the latest edition of the Australian Code for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes (The Code). The Act requires UWA to apply for a licence from the Government of Western Australia and to provide an assurance that all personnel working with animals are appropriately qualified and aware of their responsibilities under The Act.

UWA achieves this assurance by requiring all personnel to hold a 'Permission to Work with Animals' (PWA), renewable every five years. This enables UWA to provide evidence to the Government of Western Australia that all personnel have appropriate skills and knowledge to work with animals.

If you are a UWA staff member or student, more information can be found on the UWA Service Directory. If you are external to UWA and need to apply for a PWA, please contact aeo@uwa.edu.au.

FAQs on animal research

Working with Humans

Human research encompasses any academic study involving people, human tissue, or information about individuals. This includes:

• Surveys, interviews, and focus groups
• Medical, physiological, or psychological testing, including clinical trials
• Use of personal materials, such as documents
• Use of human organs, tissue, or fluids
• Information from databases, including linked data sets or private practice patient files
• Observing people for research purposes

Adherence to National Standards

Our University, like other research institutions in Australia, follows the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research to ensure ethical standards are maintained.

Ethical Approval Process

All human research conducted at our University must receive approval from an ethics committee before involving participants. This review is typically carried out by the Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC), which convenes monthly.

For more information, see the UWA Service directory entry on Human Ethics, or contact humanethics@uwa.edu.au.

Indigenous Partnerships

Conducting University research on Indigenous land, with Indigenous peoples or their cultural elements has additional integrity and ethical considerations. Research involving Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander peoples or communities must demonstrate knowledge of and compliance with the six core values detailed in AIATSIS Code of Ethics for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research as well as all relevant legal and ethical codes, including ‘First’ or Indigenous Law/ Lore.

For more information, see the UWA Service directory entry on Indigenous Partnerships, or contact humanethics@uwa.edu.au.

Biosafety, Biosecurity, and Gene Technology

The Biosafety Office co-ordinates University compliance with the requirements of the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Forestry (DAFF). Biosafety also provides advice on the safe use, handling and containment of hazardous infectious agents and biological materials that are reasonably expected to contain biohazards according to the relevant Australian Standards. 

For advice and information, contact biosafety@uwa.edu.au or see the UWA Service Directory entry on Biosafety.

Clinical Trials

The University of Western Australia engages in clinical trials of new medicines, medical devices and other health interventions in several capacities: 

• as sponsor
• providing chief investigator and co-investigators
• ethics review
• site administration
• as a collaborator on single and multi-site trials with hospitals and other research institutes

Clinical trial activities are regulated primarily by the Commonwealth's Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).

Request that UWA act as sponsor for a clinical trial

All clinical trials conducted in Australia are required to have an Australian sponsor. The sponsor is responsible for the overseeing aspects of the trial, including lodgement of the Clinical Trials Notification (CTN) form with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) (if applicable), arranging trial specific insurance, and performing monitoring activities to ensure the ongoing overall quality of the trial. 

UWA is prepared to act as a clinical trial sponsor for trials, usually those assessed as low-risk and conducted in or near Perth. The University usually cannot take Sponsor responsibilities for higher-risk intervention studies, or multi-site trials where some trial sites are outside of the greater Perth area. In such cases your project will need to identify a professional clinical trials contract research organisation (CRO) to act as sponsor.

An application can be made for UWA to act as a sponsor. 

What do I need?

The Chief Investigator must be a UWA staff or adjunct.

The UWA research grants and contracts team will need to administer funding for the trial.

For more information, contact clinicaltrials-oor@uwa.edu.au or go to the UWA Service Directory page for Clinical Trials information.