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Researcher support

Training and development

Training and development opportunities

Completion of training in human research ethics is mandatory for all UOW staff and student researchers working with human participants or their data. Evidence of completion of this training must be uploaded when submitting a new application to the Human Research Ethics Committee and when adding a new investigator to an approved protocol.

Investigators who are external to UOW may be required to show evidence of training if it is an application from an external party (not including NSW Health) or if the extent of their involvement is significant.  If in doubt, contact the Ethics Unit for clarification. 

The training does not have to be provided by UOW but must be demonstrably equivalent in content and have been completed in the last 5 years. Experienced researchers and those who have previously completed the UOW training are encouraged to consider training from another provider.  Examples of currently available training that have been assessed as meeting the UOW training requirement are provided below.  

Other training programs will be assessed on request.  Please note that Good Clinical Practice training is generally not accepted as most courses do not provide sufficient content on human research ethics.

UOW human ethics training

  • Moodle - Epigeum Ethical Research. This is an introductory course consisting of 8 modules with quizzes; it should take approximately 4 hours to complete.

External human ethics training courses

There are several freely available options that would be accepted as relevant training in human research ethics.

Introductory courses

Refresher training

The Global Health Network has created a range of research training materials that are free to use.  The modules include an assessment quiz and issue a completion certificate when a grade of 80% is achieved.  The majority of the units can be completed in under an hour. 

Relevant modules include:

  • Introduction to informed consent
  • Research in Global Health Emergencies: Ethical issues
  • Ethics in epidemics, emergencies and disasters: Research, surveillance and patient care
  • Ethics review of social science research on health related topics
  • The Practice and Ethics of Participatory Visual Methods for Community Engagement in Public Health and Health Science
  • Children and Clinical Research
  • Ethics of Ancillary Care in Research
  • Ethics and Best Practices in Sharing Individual-level Research Data
  • Essential elements of ethics - designed for people who are writing protocols, 11 modules

Commercial options

Fee attracting courses that would be accepted as evidence of relevant training in human research are listed below. Enrolment in one of these courses would be at the researchers own cost.

Futurelearn

  • Introduction to Health Research Ethics – biomedical research
  • People Studying People: Research Ethics in Society – social sciences and humanities
  • Research Ethics and Vulnerability: Ethical Research in Adults with Impaired Decision-Making Capacity

CITI Program

  • Biomedical (Biomed) Comprehensive (human subjects research)
  • Social-Behavioural-Educational (SBE) Comprehensive
  • SBE/Biomed Foundations
  • SBE/Biomed refresher
  • Community Engaged and Community Based Participatory Research

IRMA system training

  • Training on IRMA.  For video guides, the user guide and information about IRMA support please see the IRMA help page.

Research Integrity training for researchers includes:

Workshops, Seminars and Q&A Sessions

Research Integrity and Credibility nuances – A Research Integrity Advisor reflection on responsible research practices (Webinar)

This session is designed as a an opinion piece to discuss the nuances between the terms credibility and integrity from the perspectives of 4 Research Integrity Advisors. The intention is to shares insights on the links between our research heroes – people we consider to have credibility – with the research integrity values and practices those people exhibit. We hope you will apply this knowledge to promote integrity and credibility in research and advance the culture of responsible research at UOW and beyond.

Date: Thursday 1 December 2022

Time: 12 noon – 1pm

Register via EventBrite

Past Workshops, Seminars and Q&A Sessions

Mythbuster – Peer Reviewing with Integrity

This session was held on 4 August 2022 – a recording and copy of the slides can be found in the Mythbuster sessions folder on the self-enrol Research Integrity Moodle site

Additional resources on Peer Review:

Mythbuster – Open Access and Responsible Research

This session was held on 7 April 2022 – a recording a copy of the slides can be found in the Mythbuster sessions folder on the self-enrol Research Integrity Moodle site.  

Additional Resources on Open Access:

Mythbuster – Research Integrity for Supervisors and Aspiring Supervisors

This session was held on 4 August 2021 – a recording a copy of the slides can be found in the Mythbuster sessions folder on the self-enrol Research Integrity Moodle site.  

Mythbuster – Research Integrity and Data Management

This session was held on 18 August 2021 - a recording and copy of the slides can be found in the Mythbuster sessions folder on the self-enrol Research Integrity Moodle site.  

Mythbuster – Predatory Publishing and Conferences 

This session was held on 13 September 2021 - a recording and copy of the slides can be found in the Mythbuster sessions folder on the self-enrol Research Integrity Moodle site.  

International Collaborations (Webinar)

This session was held on 30 November 2021 - a recording and copy of the slides can be found in the International Collaborations folder on the self-enrol Research Integrity Moodle site.  

If you have a Research Integrity training need in your area, please contact uow-researchintegrity@uow.edu.au  so we can discuss your needs.  

Online Training

There are two Research Integrity Moodle sites offering different experiences and content. Depending on your training needs, background and current knowledge you could explore both or you may decide to do one or the other. Both are applicable to all researchers (staff and students).

  1. Moodle – Epigeum Research Integrity: The content within this site is based on the Australian governance framework, referencing the NHMRC code and guidelines throughout the modules. A quiz is available for each of the 13 modules with a certificate available on successful completion of all 13 quizzes. This certificate can be used as evidence of completion of recognised training in RI.
  2. Moodle/Introduction to Research Integrity and Ethics (TRNG044_17): This online training module outlines Research Integrity concepts for researchers (staff and students) in stand-alone modules for:
    • Biomedical Sciences
    • Natural and Physical sciences
    • Engineering and Technology
    • Social and Behavioural Sciences
    • Art and Humanities

The Research Services Office will happily provide staff and students with on‑demand face to face training on Research Integrity, Ethics both Human and Animal and Defence Export Controls.

Contact the Research Integrity Officer on research-integrity@uow.edu.au to discuss your training needs.

External Resources

Watch On Being a Scientist (2016), produced by Leiden University and Crochetta Films and think about the difficult dilemmas you, as a researcher, may be confronted with as you progress through your career and how the decisions you make can impact on you later on in life.

The USA Office of Research Integrity offers interactive online training in research integrity for laboratory and research clinic based researchers.

Other useful resources

The following publications may be of use to you to further your knowledge on research misconduct issues:

If you would like to add to this list a publication that you feel may be of use to researchers please email research-integrity@uow.edu.au

Workshops

Register to attend the Research Grant Workshops coordinated by PODS. UOW staff only.

Presentations

Research grants presentations (UOW staff only)

Includes:

  • Research grant writing and grant management presentations
  • ARC grants presentations
  • Presentations from visiting ARC and NHMRC members

Research Data Training

Research data training is available to all researchers though Moodle. 

It is recommended that HDR and Honours students as well as new researchers to UOW complete this training so that they are up to date with Research Data at UOW.

Research impact training is coordinated by PODS. 

Presentations

Mandatory training in animal welfare and ethics is required for all people working with animals.

(Animals includes all mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, cephalopods and decapod crustaceans)

This includes:

  • All Honours and HDR students working on projects involving animals.
  • All researchers working on projects involving animals.
  • All people with input into the design and conduct of research or teaching activities involving animals.
  • All supervisors of Honours and HDR students that are working on projects involving animals.
  • All members of the Animal Ethics Committee.
  • All Technical Staff working in the University Animal Facilities.

There are additional requirements depending on the nature of the work planned.

Training

Mandatory

Biomedical Laboratory Research

Marine/Ecology Laboratory research

Marine/Ecology Field based research

Frequency

ComPASS Phase 1 online training

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Within the last 5 years

UOW online Ethics process training

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Every  5 years

Building inductions

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

As per facility requirements

Animal Handling and Welfare training

Yes

Yes – provided by Animal Facility Technical officers and/or Animal Welfare officer/Veterinarian

Yes – Provided by Supervisors or Animal facility staff depending on species

Yes – Provided by supervisor or other competent person from the research group.

On Demand with refreshers as required.

How to access training

All people working with animals must enrol in the UOW Moodle site  Animal Ethics and Animal Research Training PROJ184_22.  This Moodle site contains links to the mandatory training, access to the additional UOW specific theory training, and resources to aid in experimental design, animal model selection and more.  To organise practical training contact animalresearch-training@uow.edu.au

Information and assistance

For further information or assistance please contact animalresearch-training@uow.edu.au

Introductory biosafety course

Refresher training

Researchers that have previously completed the biosafety induction course and the GMO course will need to undergo refresher training every 5 years.

Please send your biosafety and GMO certificates via email to uow-biosafety@uow.edu.au 

Other training resources

The online, self-paced Introduction to Research at UOW course, is a collection of resources to help new and existing staff to learn more about what research services and support are available at UOW and how and when to access this support.

New researchers are required to complete this course as part of Academic Induction, within their first 1-3 months of employment with UOW.

Existing staff are strongly encouraged to engage with this highly relevant content, as and when needed.

Direct enquires and questions to researcher-development@uow.edu.au