Research
NOTICE: Information about Congress Research during the COVID-19 pandemic
Updated 18/8/2020
Congress is a major health care provider in central Australia, this being the township of Alice Springs and the remote communities of Amoonguna, Ntaria, Santa Teresa, Utju and Mutijulu. In response to COVID-19, our core priority over the coming months is the health and well-being of our clients, staff and the communities we service.
Therefore, Congress would like to advise that any non-essential services, such as research, in all Congress sites (remote and urban) may be put on hold at any time without notice. Please remain diligent in staying informed regarding COVID-19 in Central Australia through the relevant communication networks.
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NEW PUBLICATION: A guide for health researchers working with Aboriginal people in central Australia
This Guide is for researchers who want to know how to work safely, respectfully, and appropriately with Aboriginal people of central Australia. It introduces important considerations like Aboriginal community expectations and cultural protocols, with the aim of fostering high quality, culturally safe, responsive and trauma-informed research. Research conducted in this way can be of benefit to the researchers and their institutes as well as the Aboriginal people and communities who work with them. The Guide was developed under the Aremella Arratyenye-ileme: Doing It Right research project led by Central Australian Aboriginal Congress (Congress). Access the guide here.
Research at Congress
Congress has a strong commitment to research at both a strategic and operational level. Prior to 2015 there was no separate research function within the organisation. In 2015, Congress added a research section, operating under the Public Health Division. This relatively new service area has grown from undertaking limited formal research to managing research projects of varying complexities under the leadership and administration of a research manager and support from a research team. We have employed over 20 local researchers, with the majority being Aboriginal, on over 10 different research projects with as many different partners.
Congress is a founding member of the Central Australian Academic Health Science Network, a partnership between health services, health/medical research organisations and educational institutions in Central Australia with the aim of undertaking collaborative work to benefit the health of Central Australians.
Congress partners with research institutions across Australia to conduct research in the following areas that are in line with our research priorities:
1. Clinical care
2. Health promotion and disease prevention
3. Actions on social, cultural, economic and political determinants of health and wellbeing
Read the Congress' Research Strategy here.
Congress is committed to:
- Conduct collaborative world class research that translates to development of a comprehensive evidence base to guide effective practice and policy;
- Develop sustainable research capacity in health and medical research especially within the Aboriginal community controlled primary health care sector;
- Promote best practice approaches to clinical service delivery and public health;
- Promote engagement of Aboriginal people in research, health and healthcare;
- Adhere to standards of the Central Australian Human Research Ethics Committee; and
- Adhere to the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Ethical Guidelines for Research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
Partner with Us
To assist in understanding our governance processes, check out the Congress Research Approval Flowchart.
To discuss or propose a research project in partnership with Congress, complete and submit an expression of interest or contact the research manager.
To make an application to conduct research in partnership with Congress, complete and submit a research application form.
Research applications will be considered against the Congress Research Assessment Criteria Guidelines.
All Congress Board-approved research projects must submit a Six-monthly Progress Report and a Final Report.
Submissions and enquiries should be sent to research@caac.org.au four (4) weeks prior to the research subcommittee meeting (see Congress Board Meeting Dates)
Forms and Downloads
- Research Expression of Interest Form
- Research Application Form
- Research Assessment Criteria Guidelines
- Research Progress Report Template
- Research Final Report Template
- Visiting Researcher Checklist
- Research Strategy 2019-2023
- Congress Strategic Plan 2019-2023
TOWN BOARD KEY DATES*
| Research Application Submission Date | Research Subcommittee Meeting Date | Congress Board Meeting Date |
| Thursday 14th January 2021 | Thursday 16 February 2021 | Wednesday 25 February 2021 |
| Thursday 11 March 2021 | Thursday 15 April 2021 | Thursday 29 April 2021 |
| Thursday 13 May 2021 | Tuesday 15 June 2021 | Thursday 1 July 2021 |
| Tuesday 27 July 2021 | Tuesday 24 August 2021 | Thursday 2 September 2021 |
| Thursday 26 August 2021 | Thursday 30 September 2021 | Thursday 14 October 2021 |
| Thursday 14 October 2021 | Thursday 11 November 2021 | Wednesday 24 November 2021 |
| NB: dates subject to change |
REMOTE BOARD KEY DATES *
Research Submission Deadline | Board Meeting Dates |
AMOONGUNA | |
Tuesday 12 January 2021 | Thursday 11 February 2021 |
Thursday 11 March 2021 | Thursday 8 April 2021 |
Thursday 10 June 2021 | Tuesday 15 July 2021 |
Tuesday 31 August 2021 | Wednesday 29 September 2021 |
UTJU (Areyonga) | |
Tuesday 12 January 2021 | Thursday 4 February 2021 |
Friday 9 April 2021 | Thursday May 6 2021 |
Friday 9 July 2021 | Thursday 12 August 2021 |
Friday 3 September 2021 | Thursday 7 October 2021 |
MUTITJULU | |
Thursday 4 February 2021 | Thursday 11 March 2021 |
Thursday 6 May 2021 | Thursday 10 June 2021 |
Thursday 29 July 2021 | Thursday 31 August 2021 |
Thursday 7 October 2021 | Thursday 4 November 2021 |
MPWELARRE (Santa Teresa/Ltyentye Apurte) | |
Tuesday 2 February 2021 | Thursday 4 March 2021 |
Tuesday 27 April 2021 | Thursday 27 May 2021 |
Tuesday 27 July 2021 | Thursday 26 August 2021 |
Tuesday 21 September 2021 | Thursday 21 October 2021 |
WAHAC (Ntaria / Hermannsburg**) | |
Tuesday 12 January 2021 | Thursday 21 January 2021 |
Wednesday 10 March 2021 | Wednesday 14 April 2021 |
Wednesday 30 June 2021 | Wednesday 28 July 2021 |
Tuesday 28 September 2021 | Thursday 28 October 2021 |
* dates subject to change ** joint service delivery with Central Australian Health Service |
For more information, contact the research manager at research@caac.org.au or (08) 8958 4898.