Image by Nuthawut (Adobe Stock) - Detail.

Who is conducting the research?
The project is a collaboration between 14 universities across the world. In the 'Researchers’ page you can find the names of the Chief investigators in each country. The Australian part of the project will be conducted by Dr Maria Maley of the ANU.
 

How can I express interest in being part of the COMPAS survey research?
Please email Dr Maria Maley, before the end of May 2025.

What will happen after I send my email address to Dr Maley?
Dr Maley will compile a list of email addresses of former staff who fit into the criteria for the study (ie were employed as federal ministerial staff between 1 December 2014 and 1 December 2024) and she will forward these to the University of Oslo. The online survey will be distributed by the University of Oslo, later in the year.
 

Am I compelled to be part of the project if I send my email to Dr Maley?
No, participation in the project is voluntary. Sending your email to Dr Maley is only the first step.  Later, a survey link will be sent to all the email addresses in the 14 countries. At this point former advisers can decide to complete the survey or not. Under ethics requirements, participants can always withdraw from the project at any time.
 

Who can access my email and survey answers when I have completed the survey?
After submitting your answers, your email address will be automatically stripped from the data, ie the data will be de-identified. Your answers will not be able to be retrieved as they will no longer be linked to your email address. Storage and access to the data is governed by privacy and ethics rules.
 

Can I be identified in the study?
No.  Your answers to the survey will be de-identified.
 

How will my answers be used?
The aim of the study is to compare the differences and similarities between the attitudes and experiences of former advisers in different countries. The research team expects to produce a number of comparative academic papers based on the data.
 

Will the project be covered by ethics rules?
Yes.  The project is currently undergoing human ethics approval in Australia and every other country in the study.  It will not begin until all ethics approvals have been achieved. Ethics protocols regulate the use and storage of data, consent, and privacy considerations.
 

How can I find out more information?
To find out more, please email Dr Maria Maley or call her on 02 6125 3982.