Human Research Ethics Training

Mandatory Human Ethics Training

From 1 January 2025 investigators conducting human research at JCU must have completed training in human research ethics.

The suggested training module for researchers who have not already completed training elsewhere is the Human Research Ethics Foundations module. This training  is free, open access and online, hosted by the University of Southern Queensland. Please note the link to this course was updated on the 25 March 2025, the old link will no longer work.

Instructions for registering and completing the training can be found at Accessing the UniSQ HRE Foundation course.

Alternatively, people can provide evidence of completion of training elsewhere, such as:

• Training completed at other institutions that reflects knowledge and understanding of the overarching principles of ethical conduct in research, including the operations of Human Research Ethics Committees (HRECs) and the National Statement on Ethical Conduct of Human Research
• Training providers such as Praxis or Tricky Goose
• Good Clinical Practice (GCP) for clinical trials in Australia

Evidence of completion of training, such as a Certificate of Completion or the email from the Human Research Ethics foundations modules will need to be provided in order to progress HREC applications to approval.

Who needs to complete training?

The following people need to complete training and provide evidence of completion:

• JCU Australia and Singapore researchers and students (including undergraduates and postgraduates) submitting applications to the JCU HREC for review
• JCU researchers and students working under the approval of an external Human Research Ethics Committee or review body, applying for JCU’s Acknowledgement of that approval
• AIMS researchers and students submitting applications to the JCU HREC for review
• Any of the above people, who are being added to a project by way of an amendment

Who doesn’t need to have completed training?

• External collaborators working with JCU or AIMS on JCU or AIMS projects

How do I provide evidence of completion?

The preferred method to let us know you have completed training is to upload the evidence into GECO (see instructions) when completing your ethics application or requesting acknowledgement of an external HREC's approval.

Questions? 

If you have any questions about the training, please contact the Ethics Office.