2019-11-25

Ethics and responsibility were discussed at the World Science Forum

The Ombudsperson for Academic Ethics and Procedures, Mrs. Loreta Tauginienė, participated in the 9th World Science Forum “Science, Ethics and Responsibility” held in Budapest on 20-23 of November. It was organized by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences together with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), The International Council for Science (ISCU) and other international organizations.

This forum focuses on the role of the scientist in society, the importance of ethics in research and publication of research results, the contribution of science journalists to strengthening the interaction between scientists and society. The speakers missed a compulsory teaching of research ethics, noted the slower development of ethics compared to scientific progress, called for promotion of science diplomacy, emphasized the significance of replications in ensuring reliability of research, and encouraged to publish negative results of research in order to use public funds sustainably. The speakers also drew attention to the research areas where ethical issues remain unsolved, although the need for this is clearly emerging – robotics, artificial intelligence, biotechnologies.

On the 23rd of November the President of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Mr. László Lovász, announced the Declaration of the 9th World Science Forum “Science, Ethics and Responsibility”. This document calls for recognition of the role of science in society, improvement of standards that promote research integrity, also respect for freedom of science in the society that observes ethical standards, and the strengthening of embedding of principles of ethics and responsibility through science communication.