Research News

Academic resilience in times of adversity

Closing Date: Friday 30 April 

You are invited to participate in a short online survey to identify one strategy that has helped you manage your academic work during COVID-19.

Contact Marian Mahat for any queries.

Researcher practices and needs for sensitive research data management

The University is seeking your help regarding research data management practices and needs. Survey results will guide the ongoing development of digital research infrastructure, services and resources. Your assistance will help researchers across the University manage sensitive research data more easily and securely.

The survey takes approximately 15 minutes.

Contact Kim D'Costa for any queries.

More information and registration can be found on the Survey Webpage.

The Infonetica Ethics Review Manager (ERM) is now fully operational for researchers to apply to conduct studies involving humans.

Ethics support contacts

Infonetica technical support

• ServiceNow webform (staff-only)
• Research helpline: (03) 8344 0999

General human ethics support

• General information can be found on the Human Ethics website.
• General queries can be emailed to the Human Ethics Enquiries team.

Human Research Ethics Committees (HREC)

• General information, including meeting dates and committee membership, can be found on the HREC page.
• For information regarding a specific HREC, please contact the Research Ethics Officer assigned to that committee, found under the Committee Membership of the HREC website.
• HREC queries can be emailed to the Human Ethics Enquiries team.

Apply for ethics approval

• To apply for ethics approval, please visit the step-by-step guide.

Complaints or concerns

• Any complaints or concerns about the conduct of a research project should be emailed to the Research Integrity Administrator. You can also call on (03) 8344 1376.

All research and evaluation activity involving these sites requires approval through the Department of Education and Training’s (DET’s) Research in Schools and Early Childhood settings (RISEC) process.

In February 2021, research activity involving education settings resumed or commenced for research commissioned, partnered, or supported by DET or other Victorian government departments, on the condition that data were provided about the anticipated time burden on education settings.

Under the next phase of resumption, research activity involving education settings may resume in Term 2, 2021 for remaining RISEC approval holders. Researchers with RISEC approvals may now contact schools or early childhood sites to arrange their Term 2 activities. Researchers must meet the following condition:

• that data have been provided to DET in 2021 about the anticipated time burden on education settings (a survey link has previously been emailed to existing RISEC approval holders).

In addition, the following researchers are invited to contact the Strategic Research Team at research@education.vic.gov.au to discuss their circumstances, including the possibility of commencing or recommencing their research prior to Term 2:

• university students who will not meet their course requirements if they delay their fieldwork
• RISEC approval holders with expiring funding, where that funding cannot be extended.

DET is accepting RISEC applications, or requests to amend existing RISEC approvals, meeting the above requirements only.

The RISEC webpage will be updated once further information becomes available.

Any queries may be directed to the Strategic Research Team at research@education.vic.gov.au

For more information visit the Conduct research page on the Education and Training website.

CEM is still accepting applications to conduct research in CEM schools and these applications will be subjected to the usual review process. However, even if approved, researchers are not yet permitted to approach schools until they are given written permission by CEM. All approvals at the moment are ‘conditional’. Some projects have been exempt from this current ban on approaching schools (e.g. research that has been instigated by a school not an external researcher, or research that had already begun pre-COVID), but this is considered by CEM.

The University is holding a virtual Education Roundtable between April 19-21 and all staff are invited to participate. This is the first of a number of virtual roundtables in which staff are invited to share their views on key themes of the Advancing Melbourne strategy. The Education Roundtable will involve a series of provocations and discussions, held over three days, using an online platform. Topics to be discussed and debated include:

* What is the future of the lecture at Melbourne?

* How can we create more diversity in our classrooms?

* Should Melbourne embrace more online programs?

* Why shouldstudents come to campus for their education?

Please save the dates to contribute to these online discussions on the future of education at Melbourne, and bookmark the Education Roundtable page for more information leading up to the event.

More information can be found on the Event webpage.

Submissions will now close Wednesday 21 April.

This year the Teaching and Learning Conference (1-2 June, online) will explore the theme "Transitioning to COVID-normal: Developing a new ecosystem for teaching, learning and assessment". Abstracts are invited from both academic and professional staff.

Contact Melbourne CSHE for queries.

More information is available on the Teaching and Learning Conference webpage.

Nominations are invited for the annual Chancellor's Prize for Excellence in the PhD Thesis for 2021. Students who completed a PhD degree in 2020 are eligible for nomination and supervisors are encouraged to consult with their Head of Department/School. Nominations must be submitted to Faculty Deans by Heads of Departments/Schools by Friday 14 May.

Contact Xian-Zhi Lai for any queries.

More information is available on the Chancellor's Prize webpage.