2019-09-06

The Ombudsperson shared challenges of ensuring research ethics

On 6 August, the Ombudswoman for Academic Ethics and Procedures Loreta Tauginienė took part at the COST information day organized by the Research Council of Lithuania. At the event, the Ombudswoman shared insights on research innovation – the involvement of citizens as peer researchers in conducting research and publishing research results (citizen science). She emphasized that this innovation is also transforming the assurance of research ethics. Research Ethics 1.0 focuses on personal integrity and ensuring an informed consent of a person, while Research Ethics 2.0 emphasizes researcher’s integrity towards the public and a wider research community, and the change of an informed consent. All these processes are being discussed in the international community involved in the implementation of activities of the project “Empowering Citizen Science to Promote Creativity, Scientific Literacy and Innovation in Europe” CA15212 financed from COST programme funds. Representatives of the Office are among the representatives of Lithuania in the Management Committee of this project.

Following the completion of this project, the Office plans to develop guidelines on ensuring research ethics by involving citizens as peer researchers in conducting research and publication of its results.