Appendix B: Research to Be Undertaken Outside Australia

APPENDIX B:

RESEARCH TO BE UNDERTAKEN OUTSIDE AUSTRALIA

Appendix B must be completed and attached to any application involving research to be carried out in countries outside Australia. Applicants are advised to seek clarification from the Human Research Ethics Committee or the Research Office if they are unsure how to answer any question.

1.Identify the country or countries in which the proposed research activity will be undertaken. Identify any specific groups with an interest in the research topic. Identify the native language (and where relevant your own language fluency or the research participants’ English fluency).

Country:______

Language(s):______

Where possible, provide the name of an independent person or organisation and a local contact number for people to contact in relation to ethical concerns about your research. This information should also be included on your consent form. Also, please attach correspondence from the local contact person to this form.

Name:______

Contact Number:______

1. Have you received written permission from the Vice-Chancellor via the Manager, Staff Health, to undertake research in an area to which official travel is not advised?

Overseas travel may require approvals other than ethics approval. In particular, it is a University requirement that Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) travel warnings are considered and you should review information available at the DFAT web site (www.dfat.gov.au). Overseas research might also require separate insurance cover from the University.

Please contact Risk and Assurance for further information:

https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/risk-and-assurance

1. Do you foresee any personal safety or other risk or danger to yourself, co-researchers, fellow researchers or research participants in this research?

If you answered YES, discuss the risks involved and your strategies to minimize them.

If you answered NO, give reasons.

1. Is it necessary for you to obtain specific authorisations (eg. National or provincial government permit, research visa, local ethics review approval, other relevant authorisation) to undertake the proposed research activity? You must consult the relevant authorities about this issue.

If you answered YES, list the authorisation(s) required and the granting body.

If you answered NO, give reasons.

1. Are there any local organisations or other bodies with a ‘gate-keeping’ role relevant to the proposed research activity?

If you answered YES, list the groups involved and explain how they will be informed about the proposed research activities and your relationship with them.

If you answered NO, give reasons.

1. If the proposed research activity involves participation of members of a specific group or groups (eg church group, non-government organisation, corporation, commercial organisation, government department etc) has approval of that organisation been obtained?

If you answered YES, list the groups and attach copies of relevant correspondence.

If you answered NO or N/A, give reasons.

1. Does the proposed research activity involve an intermediary in any facilitation or brokering role (eg in recruiting research participants, advocating your activity to authorities etc)?

If you answered YES, provide the name and explain the role of the intermediary. Attach copies of relevant correspondence.

If you answered NO, give reasons.

1. Does the proposed research activity involve the participation of vulnerable people or groups who are not formally organised (eg people living in a community or locality, members of an occupational or social category etc)?

If you answered YES, indicate the context of the research, how you will obtain access and any ethical issues that you can foresee. Please address in detail how vulnerability will be mitigated.

1. Is it appropriate for individual consent to be obtained from people participating in the proposed research activity?

If you answered YES, indicate whether written consent is appropriate. If written consent is appropriate, you will have completed Section 7 of the application form, and a copy of the consent form will be attached. If you propose to obtain verbal consent, explain how you will record this consent. Please note that even in circumstances involving verbal consent, researchers will be expected to provide a written project information sheet (translated into local language where necessary) and to consider ethical issues involving verbal consent. Discuss these matters here if appropriate.

If you answered NO, give reasons.

If you answered NA, please explain why the question is not applicable to your project.

1. Does the proposed research activity involve any coercion, deception or misrepresentation in obtaining information?

If you answered YES, give details and explain how you will address ethical concerns arising from this approach to obtaining information.

1. Does the proposed research activity involve secretive use of any photography, video recording, audio recording or other recording method?

If you answered YES, give details and a justification for the secrecy.

1. Will the proposed research activity necessarily involve the acquisition of material objects or information that is regarded by participants as valuable cultural property (eg material artefacts, works of art, songs, cultural information, traditional ecological knowledge including knowledge of medicinal plants)?

If you answered YES, discuss how the intellectual property rights of the owners or creators of this valuable cultural property will be protected, and how the collective interests of those affected by its acquisition will be protected. Where specific permits to use, acquire, export or publish images of or information about such cultural property are required you will have completed Question 3 of Appendix B.

1. Will the proposed research activity require discovery and/or disclosure of information from records or participants of a personal, private or sensitive nature?

If you answered YES, identify the sort of information involved and what provisions you have made to protect the interests and privacy of the individuals affected. You may cross-reference to your answer in Section 6 of the application form if appropriate, but in the case of overseas research the Committee is also concerned to ensure that disclosure of personal information to foreign governments and agencies does not place research participants or researchers at risk.

If you answered NO, and your research involves acquiring information about individuals, discuss any privacy or confidentiality issues not addressed elsewhere in the application.

1. Will the proposed research activity involve any activities that are seen as inappropriate or in conflict with local practices or government requirements regarding religious or cultural practices, customary law or good research practices?

If you answered YES, give details and justify.

1. Have you made provision in your research methods for training of local research assistants, interpreters and others carrying out duties on your behalf in the field?

If you answered YES, give details of the provisions that have been made and how they were arrived at.

If you answered NO, give details.

If you answered NA, please explain why the question is not applicable to your project.

If YES, attach documentation. If not, please explain the reasons for not seeking permission.

NOTE: Researchers should ensure that they have the appropriate visas for conducting research in overseas countries. If you are a Higher Degree Research student please advise the Higher Degree Research Office (HDRO) that you will be conducting research overseas. If the period of field work is less than four weeks only notification to the HDRO is sufficient. If the period of field work is greater than four weeks you will need to obtain approval from the HDRO Committee (this is particularly important if you are on a scholarship or an International Student). You can obtain further information and the relevant form from http://www.hdr.mq.edu.au/information_about/forms.

1. Are there any other ethical concerns arising from the overseas location of the proposed research activity?

If you answered YES, give details.

Version 3 February 20181