Periodic Reporting for period 1 - irecs (improving Research Ethics Expertise and Competences to Ensure Reliability and Trust in Science)
Reporting period: 2022-10-01 to 2023-09-30
The research ethics process is facing increasing challenges at a global level: new technologies present challenges to ethics reviewers who may be unskilled in the relevant fields; increased internationalisation of research has led to fears of ethics dumping; and there is a lack of standardisation across Europe and the world. A key objective of national and EU research policy is to ensure compliance with the highest standards of research ethics. Given the impact of research on society, in terms of potential to generate innovative solutions to problems, and yet with the associated risk of harm, rigorous ethical research conduct is essential to ensure public trust in the scientific endeavour.
The EU funded irecs project will address these problems in four ways: First, it will scan and map existing needs raised by new technologies in European and global research ethics communities. Second, it will produce and implement training materials for European and global audiences in research ethics communities. Third, it will conduct and permanently establish training programmes. Fourth, it will propose adaptations to the research ethics process in Europe. Through a unique blend of expertise, global partners and the involvement of European research ethics networks as partners or members of the Stakeholder Advisory Board, irecs will develop a fresh awareness of research ethics and sustainable, multi-purpose, multi-language interactive training programmes for different users. The project thus extends ENERI and the Embassy of Good Science into a horizontal community of research ethics practitioners, policy makers and other key stakeholders.
The EU funded irecs project will address these problems in four ways: First, it will scan and map existing needs raised by new technologies in European and global research ethics communities. Second, it will produce and implement training materials for European and global audiences in research ethics communities. Third, it will conduct and permanently establish training programmes. Fourth, it will propose adaptations to the research ethics process in Europe. Through a unique blend of expertise, global partners and the involvement of European research ethics networks as partners or members of the Stakeholder Advisory Board, irecs will develop a fresh awareness of research ethics and sustainable, multi-purpose, multi-language interactive training programmes for different users. The project thus extends ENERI and the Embassy of Good Science into a horizontal community of research ethics practitioners, policy makers and other key stakeholders.
(WP1): Important coordination measures to monitor the progress of the project and to support smooth cooperation within the consortium were carried out in WP 1, including:
- Development of a suitable data management plan (DMP) as a living document
- Establishment of an internal review process for quality assurance;
- Creation of an evaluation protocol that focuses on both the project process and results (outputs, outcomes and impacts) and includes a risk register.
(WP2): The identification of the focus technologies, the creation of a database with metadata on 3.332 articles dealing with ethical and legal issues of the selected technologies, the development of five case studies related to the selected technologies (a sixth will be created at a later stage) and the elaboration of recommendations for dealing with ethical challenges in research on selected technologies were carried out in WP 2.
The four selected technologies are:
1. AI in healthcare
2. extended reality
3. biobanking
4. genome editing (including both human and non-human applications)
The technology selection process was based on a variety of methods such as:
- Scientific literature review
- Mapping of results of other EU funded projects
- Conducting and evaluating a survey
- Engagement with partners, in particualr pilot universities
- Engagement with the irecs Stakeholder Advisory Board (SAB)
- Exchange with the EC Ethics and Integrity Sector
(WP3): The elaboration of a stakeholder engagement strategy, the development of a stakeholder register based on a mapping of stakeholders from research, education, industry, politics and civil society the organization of meetings of the Stakeholder Advisory Board (SAB) were carried out in WP 3. Sharing the research results of irecs with social stakeholders is a key concern of the project.
(WP4): The creation of a clear pedagogical basis for training, the identification of competence profiles for each target group of learners and the development of a table of contents for the full range of courses (including learning objectives for each module) were carried out in WP 4. The pedagogical basis for the development of training materials is based on a recognized model proposed by >Biggs<. Work has been undertaken to upgrade the >ENERI classroom< for hosting the irecs modules. This upgrade will ensure that a wide range of interactive components can be included in the training (such as quizzes, surveys, multiple choice, matching, videos, animations, interviews, etc.).
(WP5): The implementation of the training programmes to be carried out as part of WP 5 has not yet started.
(WP6): The identification of completed or ongoing EU-funded projects and networks dealing with research ethics and research integrity issues, with a particular focus on new and emerging technologies, was carried out in WP 6. A research ethics cluster was formed and the results and findings have been and will continue to be shared in regular cluster meetings.
- Development of a suitable data management plan (DMP) as a living document
- Establishment of an internal review process for quality assurance;
- Creation of an evaluation protocol that focuses on both the project process and results (outputs, outcomes and impacts) and includes a risk register.
(WP2): The identification of the focus technologies, the creation of a database with metadata on 3.332 articles dealing with ethical and legal issues of the selected technologies, the development of five case studies related to the selected technologies (a sixth will be created at a later stage) and the elaboration of recommendations for dealing with ethical challenges in research on selected technologies were carried out in WP 2.
The four selected technologies are:
1. AI in healthcare
2. extended reality
3. biobanking
4. genome editing (including both human and non-human applications)
The technology selection process was based on a variety of methods such as:
- Scientific literature review
- Mapping of results of other EU funded projects
- Conducting and evaluating a survey
- Engagement with partners, in particualr pilot universities
- Engagement with the irecs Stakeholder Advisory Board (SAB)
- Exchange with the EC Ethics and Integrity Sector
(WP3): The elaboration of a stakeholder engagement strategy, the development of a stakeholder register based on a mapping of stakeholders from research, education, industry, politics and civil society the organization of meetings of the Stakeholder Advisory Board (SAB) were carried out in WP 3. Sharing the research results of irecs with social stakeholders is a key concern of the project.
(WP4): The creation of a clear pedagogical basis for training, the identification of competence profiles for each target group of learners and the development of a table of contents for the full range of courses (including learning objectives for each module) were carried out in WP 4. The pedagogical basis for the development of training materials is based on a recognized model proposed by >Biggs<. Work has been undertaken to upgrade the >ENERI classroom< for hosting the irecs modules. This upgrade will ensure that a wide range of interactive components can be included in the training (such as quizzes, surveys, multiple choice, matching, videos, animations, interviews, etc.).
(WP5): The implementation of the training programmes to be carried out as part of WP 5 has not yet started.
(WP6): The identification of completed or ongoing EU-funded projects and networks dealing with research ethics and research integrity issues, with a particular focus on new and emerging technologies, was carried out in WP 6. A research ethics cluster was formed and the results and findings have been and will continue to be shared in regular cluster meetings.
irecs aims to contribute to promoting an awareness-raising process among researchers, research institutions (e.g. universities) and REC members that fosters ethical sensitivity in dealing with new technologies and responsibly reflects and accompanies the social implementation of new technologies.
In the framework of irecs, the beneficiaries, including the pilot universities (Bonn, Maastricht and Split), have developed strategies on how to strengthen and improve the following aspects using the analytical methods and training procedures developed in irecs:
- promote interdisciplinary dialogues between science, ethics and law across faculties;
- provide excellent training programmes in RE at different career levels
- improve the capacity of individuals and institutions to promote ethical and legal analysis of new technologies that meets professional standards
- promote dialogue between science & society in order to raise awareness of the ethical aspects of new technologies.
At the Leadership Roundtables of the European University Association (EUA), universities exchanged information on the modalities of training in the field of RE and on the establishment of ethical advisory bodies.
All tools provided by irecs are disseminated in a sustainable way through existing RE &RI platforms such as the ENERI and The Embassy of Good Science.
In the framework of irecs, the beneficiaries, including the pilot universities (Bonn, Maastricht and Split), have developed strategies on how to strengthen and improve the following aspects using the analytical methods and training procedures developed in irecs:
- promote interdisciplinary dialogues between science, ethics and law across faculties;
- provide excellent training programmes in RE at different career levels
- improve the capacity of individuals and institutions to promote ethical and legal analysis of new technologies that meets professional standards
- promote dialogue between science & society in order to raise awareness of the ethical aspects of new technologies.
At the Leadership Roundtables of the European University Association (EUA), universities exchanged information on the modalities of training in the field of RE and on the establishment of ethical advisory bodies.
All tools provided by irecs are disseminated in a sustainable way through existing RE &RI platforms such as the ENERI and The Embassy of Good Science.