The State Education Research and Partnerships (SERAP) application process provides authorisation for external research conducted in NSW public schools, public preschools and other sites across the NSW Department of Education (the department).

SERAP is a key part of the department’s research governance process and is separate from ethics approval. It helps ensure research is:

• aligned with department priorities
• feasible within school contexts
• ethically and safely conducted
• minimally disruptive to teaching and learning.

SERAP prioritises research that best benefits the system, protects the time, wellbeing and privacy of teachers and students and carefully considers all risks to participants and the department.

SERAP authorisation must be obtained before commencing research in NSW public schools/preschools or using departmental research data.

No. While SERAP authorisation is in complement to Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) approval, it is a distinct and separate process from an ethics review.

HREC approval focuses on ethical conduct of the research from the perspective of national research regulations and associated guidance (for example, the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research and the AIATSIS Code of Ethics for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research).

The SERAP review and authorisation process considers additional factors specific to NSW public education participants and settings such as:

• alignment with department priorities
• operational logistics and impact in schools
• workload burden on teachers and staff
• potential disruption to learning
• risks to participants and the department
• access to department data and sites.

Key questions considered in a SERAP review include whether the time requested is realistic for schools, whether the project duplicates existing research and whether schools are being approached that may already be involved in other research projects.

Researchers must obtain ethics approval from an NHMRC-registered HREC before SERAP authorisation can be granted. Research projects that are self-assessed as either negligible risk or exempt from ethics approval will not proceed through SERAP.  

You will require SERAP authorisation if your research:

• is conducted in NSW public schools, NSW public preschools or other department sites
• includes recruitment of participants through NSW public schools, public preschools or other department sites
• seeks access to department-held data
• includes any of the above and is undertaken as part of a Higher Degree Research (HDR) qualification including Honours, Master or PhD research.

If you are unsure whether SERAP applies to your project, contact the Research and Partnerships team.

No. Researchers must not make any direct or indirect contact with principals, directors, schools, staff, students or families regarding participation in their research until they have been formally granted written SERAP authorisation to approach. This includes, but is not limited to, the following activities:

• sending emails or letters to schools or principals
• recruiting or inviting participants
• distributing surveys or research materials
• making phone calls or in-person visits to schools for research purposes
• directly contacting principals or schools to seek expressions of interest.

The department takes this requirement seriously. Approaching schools, staff or students before receiving SERAP authorisation may negatively affect your application or your eligibility for future research opportunities with our schools and the department.

If you are unsure about when or how you may contact schools or participants, please contact the Research and Partnerships team for guidance before initiating any communication.

Yes, though you may not need to do a full application. You can select the ‘advertising only’ option when completing the SERAP Expression of Interest (EOI). This option is for researchers who are only requesting the department's assistance to promote or advertise their study to students or families and are not seeking to conduct research in department sites.

For example, select ‘advertising only’ if you want access to schools solely to distribute flyers, newsletters or emails to help recruit students and/or their parents and carers for research taking place outside of the school environment. No further administration, involvement or participation is required from schools or staff beyond sharing the recruitment information through regular school communication channels.

This approach minimises disruption to teaching, learning and school operations and ensures there is minimal additional workload or cost to school staff.

Please note:

• ‘Advertising only’ recruitment can only be authorised for research targeting students and parents/carers outside of the school setting. Recruitment of teachers or other staff using this approach is not permitted. Any research seeking teacher or school staff participation must follow the full SERAP application process.
• Researchers wishing to conduct ‘advertising only’ recruitment must provide the complete and final approved version of their ethics application, all associated project documentation (including recruitment flyer) and ethics approval letter as part of their SERAP EOI. They must also complete the department’s probity screening processes, including Working with Children Check verification.
• Selecting ‘advertising only’ does not mean a project is automatically authorised. The EOI will still require review by department subject matter experts, which may result in some feedback needing to be addressed before progressing. We will also need to be satisfied that the project meets the requirements for advertising only.

The SERAP Expression of Interest (EOI) is an initial screening step for all SERAP applications. An EOI must be submitted before a full SERAP application. The EOI allows the department to:

• provide early advice on feasibility and alignment
• identify potential risks or operational concerns
• support researchers to strengthen the project design before a full submission
• guide researchers before an ethics or full application is completed.

Researchers are encouraged to submit an EOI as early as possible during project planning. For example, researchers may wish to submit an EOI to seek initial feedback or advice before submitting an ethics application to their institution’s HREC. Researchers are also encouraged to complete an EOI if they are unsure whether SERAP applies to their project.

The Research and Partnerships team aims to:

• respond to EOIs within approximately 2 weeks
• provide an outcome for full SERAP applications within approximately 10–12 weeks.

Complex, large-scale, sensitive or high duty of care projects may require longer processing times.

Researchers should allow sufficient time for:

• assessment and review by departmental subject matter experts (SMEs) and the SERAP team
• revisions and modifications to address feedback from SMEs and the SERAP team
• consideration and decision by the SERAP Outcomes Committee, which meets every 6 weeks.

Researchers conducting time-limited projects, including HDR research, are strongly encouraged to plan well in advance and consider alternative recruitment and data collection strategies outside of NSW public school access.

Please be aware that the SERAP process relies on subject matter experts from multiple parts of the department and competing priorities can sometimes cause delays in getting advice. Unclear or incomplete applications can also slow down the process.

Applications are commonly delayed due to:

• incomplete applications
• inconsistencies between SERAP and HREC documents
• missing supporting documentation
• unclear participant burden or time commitments
• vague recruitment or consent processes
• research materials not written in plain English
• missing or unverified WWCC details
• insufficient detail about risks and mitigation strategies
• lacking or inadequately robust student safety and wellbeing protocols.

Carefully reviewing all documentation before submission and reviewing the SERAP Application Guidelines (PDF 1050 KB) and other relevant resources can help minimise delays.

A full SERAP application generally requires the following attachments:

• HREC application and approval documentation
• participant information sheets and consent forms
• recruitment materials
• surveys, interview schedules or other research instruments
• data management plan
• department probity screening clearance
• insurance documentation.

All documents should align consistently across the SERAP and HREC applications.

A strong application clearly demonstrates to department reviewers that the research is beneficial, ethical, well planned and designed to minimise burden on schools and participants. The researchers consider operational feasibility in schools and the department’s priorities and evidence needs from the outset.

Strong applications typically:

• clearly align with department priorities and evidence needs
• demonstrate practical benefits for NSW public education
• use high-quality research designs that are operationally feasible in schools and minimise disruption to teaching and learning
• consider and address duty of care through appropriate student wellbeing and safety protocols
• clearly explain participant burden and time commitments
• explain the research aims and importance in plain English, including why department sites and data are needed
• use plain English materials tailored to participant groups
• demonstrate strong ethical and risk management processes
• show evidence of thoughtful engagement with school contexts.

Yes. Applications may be declined where they:

• do not align with existing department priorities
• present unacceptable risk
• create excessive burden for schools or participants
• duplicate existing research, including existing or planned research within the department
• cannot reasonably be modified to meet requirements
• are unclear or do not provide sufficient information for assessment.

The department will explain the reasons for declining your application. Declined applications cannot be appealed.

Any research that involves students must provide for student emotional, psychological and physical security and wellbeing. Student wellbeing and duty of care should be considered at the planning stage of any proposed activity and throughout project delivery. Applicants are responsible for identifying any potential risks to students and demonstrating how these risks will be managed appropriately.

Applicants must carefully consider and address the department’s duty of care requirements. Where relevant, this includes having robust strategies in place to support participant wellbeing, keep participants safe and manage risks. The department’s duty of care expectations extend beyond mandatory reporting and are often broader than the requirements assessed by a HREC.

Applicants should ensure they:

• assess potential risks to student safety, wellbeing, and inclusion
• consider the needs of vulnerable students and any accessibility requirements
• ensure appropriate supervision arrangements are in place and ensure this is clear in all proposed school communication
• do not allow researchers to interact with individual students on a one-to-one basis
• comply with relevant department, school and legislative child safety requirements
• develop appropriate risk management and mandatory response and follow-up support processes where required
• have clear procedures for how they will respond if they become aware during the research that a student may benefit from additional support, even if there is no immediate risk of harm
• consider privacy and consent requirements when collecting, using or sharing student information, images or work.

Participants must receive clear, accessible information so they fully understand the research and its implications before consenting. Information sheets should be written in plain English and include:

• the purpose of the research and what participation involves, including time demands
• any potential risks, harms or discomfort and how support will be provided (for example, counselling services)
• expected benefits of the research
• how privacy and confidentiality will be maintained
• participants’ rights, including the right to withdraw at any time and any consequences of withdrawal
• how research findings will be disseminated
• funding sources (if applicable)
• details on how participants can make complaints, including ethics committee contacts
• researchers’ contact details for questions
• a privacy collection notice specifying the type and use of personal information, rights to access or correct information and whether providing data is voluntary or required by law.

Participants must also be assured that choosing not to participate will not affect their schooling, work, academic progress or relationships with the department or researchers.

When research involves different participant groups (for example, students, teachers, principals), researchers must provide tailored information sheets and consent forms appropriate to each group’s age, role and responsibilities.

Principals act as gatekeepers and must receive dedicated information and consent forms because they decide whether research activities can occur in their schools.

Research participation requires voluntary, active, ongoing and informed consent. For students under the age of 18, consent must be obtained from a parent or carer. Researchers must also seek the student’s consent or assent, where appropriate to their age and capacity to understand the research. Students aged 18 and over may provide their own consent.

The department does not authorise research that seeks only student consent without parent/carer consent, even if ethically approved by a Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC). Decisions on this consent requirement are made by the department independently of HREC approval.

If researchers plan to collect student work samples as research data, this must be clearly explained in the participant information statement and consent form. Parent and carer consent must be obtained for students under 18, and student consent or assent must also be sought where appropriate to the student’s age and capacity. Students aged 18 and over may consent to the use of their own work. The intellectual property of student work remains with the student, and explicit consent is required to reproduce or publish any student work in reports or publications.

For data that is intended to be made available for future research use or be included in a larger dataset or databank, the information sheet should clearly explain the parameters of access and possible uses of the data. In addition, the consent form must provide a tick box (or similar) for participants (and parents/carers if applicable) to provide their consent for their data to be used in this way. If consent is not given, the data collected must only be used for the purpose of the original research project.

No. Individual payments or incentives to participants will not be authorised. In some circumstances, reimbursement or collective support for schools may be considered on a case-by-case basis, such as:

• teacher release costs
• administrative support associated with participation.

All members of the research team are required to complete our probity checks in line with department policies and procedures. This is in addition to simply obtaining a Working with Children Check (WWCC). It includes verifying WWCCs as well as ensuring no research team member is on the department’s confidential Not To Be Employed (NTBE) register.  WWCCs or equivalents from other Australian jurisdictions are not accepted (for example, Queensland’s Blue Card or Victoria’s WWCC).

Researchers are encouraged to complete the department’s probity screening requirements early to avoid delays.

Researchers must complete the department's WWCC verification and other relevant probity screening, including the Not To Be Employed (NTBE) register, if they are listed on the project's HREC approval letter and the SERAP application and meet either of the following conditions.

Team members have direct or indirect contact with students. This includes but is not limited to: 

• visiting NSW public schools or preschools
• data collection activities will be completed on school grounds with any participant group (for example, students or teachers or school staff)
• data collection activities will be completed with students while they are at school or outside of school, including with students online, over-the-phone or in-person.

or

Team members have access to identifiable or re-identifiable student data. This includes but is not limited to: 

• retrospective or prospective quantitative data, including survey responses
• retrospective or prospective qualitative data, including transcripts or recordings of interviews/focus groups or student work samples.

Any research team member who does not meet the criteria for requiring WWCC verification must be screened against the department's confidential NTBE register.

Researchers are required to maintain communication with the department across the research lifecycle. Researchers are required to:

• confirm participating site details within 2 months of authorisation and as new schools are recruited
• submit annual progress reports for projects longer than 12 months
• submit drafts of research outputs and publications
• submit an amendment request for any significant variation to the research or if the period of authorisation needs to be extended
• submit final reports and plain-English summaries.

Failure to meet reporting obligations may affect current or future SERAP authorisations.

Researchers are required to submit draft versions of any publications or outputs arising from their research to the department at least 4 weeks before public release. This allows the department to provide feedback, ensure compliance with SERAP conditions and address issues such as confidentiality, de-identification of data and cultural sensitivity.

Researchers are expected to accommodate reasonable amendments requested by the department before publishing their work. This practice reflects researcher responsibilities under the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research and recognises the department’s role in facilitating the research.

Lead researchers must ensure all research details, such as design, processes and personnel, remain current and that the research follows the protocol approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) and authorised by SERAP. Any significant modifications to the research project or personnel require submission of a variation request to the department and cannot be implemented until approved. This includes, but is not limited to, changes to recruitment methods, data collection, consent forms, personnel (including Working with Children Check details) and participating sites.

Variation requests must clearly describe proposed changes and include updated documentation and HREC approval letters. Changes that alter the project’s risk profile may require additional review and could necessitate a new SERAP application.

Research projects lasting longer than 3 years must apply for an extension with updated HREC approval and justification if ongoing or follow-up activities are planned. SERAP authorisation will not extend beyond the HREC approval period.

Researchers are strongly encouraged to contact the Research and Partnerships team early in the planning process, particularly for:

• sensitive or high-risk topics
• externally funded projects
• large or complex studies
• Higher Degree Research (HDR) projects
• projects involving department data.

Early engagement can help strengthen research design and reduce delays during assessment. The Research and Partnerships team are happy to provide early advice. Submit a SERAP Expression of Interest (EOI) and the team will be in touch to discuss your project.

The best way to contact the team is by email: research.partnerships@det.nsw.edu.au