DET update – all research in Victorian schools is suspended until further notice due to the COVID-19 and influenza outbreak in schools

The following notice can be found on the DET (Vic) website:

“Subject to public health advice and operational guidance about external visitors to education settings, our Research in Schools and Early Childhood settings (RISEC) process and all research and evaluation activity in education settings is suspended in 2022 until further notice.

The ongoing challenges of COVID-19 and the recent influenza outbreak necessitate this temporary suspension. This supports education settings as they manage the increased workload related to the return to on-site learning.

Please note that:

• Researchers, including those with RISEC approval, should not contact schools, early childhood staff, or children to commence, continue, or recruit for research and evaluation activity.
• We will not accept new RISEC applications or requests to amend existing RISEC approvals.

We are considering exemptions from the suspension on a case-by-case basis for the following types of projects:

• If your research or evaluation activity is in partnership with or commissioned by the department, please discuss the next steps with your contact officer in the department.
• If your research is part of an undergraduate or postgraduate research degree (e.g. PhD, Masters, Honours), contact research@education.vic.gov.au to discuss the next steps.”

All DET Research & Integrity staff are working from home and can not be contacted by telephone, only by email. So all queries should be directed via email to research@education.vic.gov.au.