Governance

NICM Health Research Institute (NICM HRI) is a University Research Institute in the disciplines of integrative and complementary medicine in the Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President, Research, Enterprise and International, Western Sydney University.

NICM HRI was established in 2007 as the 'National Institute of Complementary Medicine' with seed funding from the Australian Government and the NSW State Government. On 1 October 2013, the National Institute of Complementary Medicine was consolidated and strengthened through a merger with the university's Centre for Complementary Medicine Research (CompleMED), to form a single national entity with policy, advocacy and research functions. NICM HRI is governed by the university's policies and procedures, and is not a separate legal entity; NICM HRI reports to the university's Research, Enterprise, and International Division.

NICM HRI conducts its business with the highest degree of integrity and professional conduct. An external advisory board provides strategic guidance, advice and review of NICM HRI's activities to ensure research programs and processes meet international standards of best practice.

As a medical research institute, NICM HRI receives funding from a range of sources to advance the vision and mission of the institute, including research grants and donations from foundations, universities, government agencies, individuals and industry.

NICM HRI is committed to undertaking ethical and transparent research, carried out in accordance with national guidelines, including the Australian Code of Responsible Conduct of Research (2018), and reflected in the University's Research Code of Practice and Code of Conduct.

Western Sydney University has strict governance protocols in place to ensure the independence of the research is maintained. Donations are only accepted where they are ethical in nature and consistent with the mission, goals and policies of the university, and confer no material benefit or advantage to the donor (Donations and Fundraising Policy). Read further information relating to policies governing gifts to Western Sydney University, and honour rolls. In addition, any funds used to support specific research projects are declared on publication of results, along with any potential conflicts of interest, consistent with international codes of research integrity.

External Advisory Board

Each Western Sydney University Research Institute receives external guidance through the constitution of an external advisory board. The advisory board comprise representatives of relevant academic, government and professional areas and associated organisations to provide advice to the future directions of the Institute and its place in the Australian research community.

NICM HRI's External Advisory Board provides advice to NICM HRI in the advancement of its objectives and priorities as a significant national body providing leadership and support for strategically directed research into integrative and complementary medicine, and the translation of evidence into clinical practice and relevant policy, to the benefit of all Australians.