About the human ethics committees
Key human ethics committees UAHPEC, HDEC, and AHREC, their roles, membership, meeting schedules and review processes.
The University has two human ethics committees: The University of Auckland Human Participants Ethics Committee (UAHPEC) and the Auckland Health Research Ethics Committee (AHREC). These committees make sure research involving people is conducted safely, respectfully, and to the highest ethical standards. When you submit your application in Ethics RM, it is first checked by the Research Ethics team and then routed to the appropriate committee.
Human ethics committees
- UAHPEC: Accredited by the Health Research Council (HRC) to review human participant research conducted by University staff or students who are not eligible for HDEC or AHREC review.
- AHREC: Accredited by the Health Research Council (HRC) to review health research, health-related research, and clinical studies that are not eligible for HDEC review.
- HDEC: National, external committees that review Health and Disability Research meeting the HDEC criteria as defined in the HDEC Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
Not sure which committee applies? See the Ethical Guidelines – 1.1 ‘Ethics Approval Requirements.
Committee membership and meetings
Committees include academic staff, lay members, Māori members, and (for AHREC) health professionals, ensuring both scholarly and community perspectives are considered.
Each committee is led by a chair who guides reviews and ensures decisions are consistent with ethical standards and Te Tiriti o Waitangi obligations.
Committee meeting schedules
Committee processing timeframes
Decision-making process
After your application is reviewed by the committee, the outcome and any conditions will be recorded in Ethics RM, and you’ll receive a decision letter.
For details about review pathways, decision types, and approval conditions, see Ethical Guidelines - 3.1 ‘Applying for Ethics Approval’.
Monitoring and conditions
Approved projects may include conditions that must be met before or after final approval. Researchers must comply with all monitoring and reporting requirements set out in Ethical Guidelines - Part 3 ‘Administrative Requirements For Ethics Applications’.
Key resources
Contact
Head of Research Ethics
Email: Dr Dana Wensley
University of Auckland Human Participant Ethics Committee (UAHPEC)
Email: humanethics@auckland.ac.nz
Auckland Health Research Ethics Committee (AHREC)
Email: ahrec@auckland.ac.nz