This deliverable presents qualitative research on training needs for research ethics committees (RECs), focusing on four technologies selected in the iRECS project: AI in Health and Healthcare, Biobanking, Genome-Editing and Extended Reality. Based on desk research, expert consultations, and a leadership roundtable, iRECS identifies gaps in the current ethics review processes and needs to inform development of training materials. Following this analysis, iRECS formulates recommendations for each technology as well as cross-cutting recommendations. This Deliverable contributes to iRECS pedagogical goals and will inform ongoing and future work in iRECS WP4 and WP5.

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A primary objective of the irecs project is to create new, sustainable materials for research ethics education, training, and awareness raising, related to the investigation of new technologies. The training will be applicable in Europe and beyond, meeting the current and forecast needs of ethics experts, students, and researchers.

Recognising that not all end users of the irecs training will be starting at the same point, our intention is to create a wide range of modules and support materials from which users can ‘pick and mix’ the steppingstones most suited to support their learning journey. While all modules will be designed for online learning, there will be options for self-directed as well as facilitated learning; online materials for both synchronous and asynchronous delivery; training guides for facilitators; and downloadable materials for people with poor internet access.

This report outlines how the technical developments in irecs will be rooted in sound pedagogical foundations to generate useful, learner-centred and user-friendly training materials.

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In this deliverable, we report on the results of irecs task 6.1. The aim of this task has been to identify EU-funded projects, both past and ongoing, as well as networks, that address issues related to research ethics and research integrity and map their relationship to irecs. The report includes the publicly available relevant results deliverables, tools or other documents) of the selected projects and networks that provide input regarding guidelines, codes of conduct, recommendations, training material, competence profiles, and ethical /comparative analysis. These relevant results are considered to be useful for the next steps of irecs, and, in particular, in the mapping of existing needs raised by new technologies and their consequent impact on the research ethics processes, as well as in the development of training material for research ethics communities. This mapping will, also, provide the basis for developing synergies and establishing the irecs research ethics cluster, while aligning irecs to existing initiatives.

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