The Aboriginal Research and Study Protocols have been developed as a guide for ECU staff and students undertaking research, projects or fieldwork that involve Indigenous Australian issues, people or knowledge or that impact on Indigenous people or communities.
These protocols fulfil a strategic priority of ECU’s Reconciliation Action Plan: Develop clear and agreed protocols around Indigenous Australian research to ensure that research activity is informed by thorough cultural awareness and respect.
They also reflect the requirements of key documents that must be addressed by applicants as required by the ECU Human Research Ethics Committee. If the proposed project relates to health, it will also require submission to the Western Australian Aboriginal Health Ethics Committee (WAAHEC).
The protocols have been developed under the auspices of Kurongkurl Katitjin, ECU’s Centre for Indigenous Australian Education and Research and are based on two key elements, namely ethics and consultation.