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irecs has launched a significant initiative to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing within the research ethics community: the irecs Research Ethics Cluster. This cluster brings together representatives from irecs and other relevant projects and networks to discuss findings, share experiences, and collectively address ethical challenges in research. This platform for dialogue and exchange will give the opportunity to the irecs consortium partners to learn from the other projects and networks’ experiences, and also to test and revise, if necessary, the project’s results and outputs throughout all of its stages, and hence to contribute to the project’s sustainability. This cooperation provides a solid base for synergies and interaction that can be maintained after the end of the project, and possibly create a broader group of stakeholders focusing on research ethics that could exceed the lifetime of the projects.

The invited participants of the cluster are projects linked to the irecs consortium, in particular EU-funded projects (both past and ongoing) focusing on new and emerging technologies, as well as networks that address issues related to research ethics and research integrity.

The initial list of participants for the cluster was compiled through a dedicated mapping exercise conducted by the irecs consortium, while other projects were already identified in the original call for proposals. The remaining projects and networks were selected by irecs partners based on their prior involvement in relevant research initiatives and their participation in cluster and stakeholder engagement activities focused on research ethics and integrity. After irecs identified the four key technology areas as the main topics of its research, the list of participating projects and networks was expanded to include additional projects specialising in these areas.

The list of the participating projects and initiatives currently include: HYBRIDA, ROSiE, XR4HUMAN, POIESIS, VERITY, BEYOND, STRATEGIC, CHANGER, PREPARED, RE4GREEN, SIENNA, PANELFIT, SHERPA, ENERI, TRUST, SOPs4RI, VIRT2UE, TechEthos, SupperMoRRI, B1MG,  The Embassy of Good Science, EARMA, ENRIO, NERQ.

Individuals and projects with technical expertise in the selected technologies will also be invited to join the cluster. This will enable them to interact with researchers outside the research ethics and research integrity domain, gaining valuable insights and technical expertise to ensure that irecs' outputs are relevant to real-world applications.

The cluster meets online every 2-3 months. So far, five meetings have been organised, while the sixth is planned for January 2025. Each of the meetings has a thematic focus and explores the potential overlaps among the participating projects and networks concerning their expected outcomes and activities. For example, we have identified common needs and experiences regarding the development of training materials and the lessons learned from the pilot testing of such material.

The irecs Research Ethics Cluster is committed to long-term impact and has a dual purpose and vision. The first is related to the development of the project itself as the cluster aggregates experiences and lessons learned from other projects and networks and provides useful input that will inform irecs’ outputs. The second is related to the potential of being established as a “cluster of clusters”, mediating among past, ongoing and future projects and initiatives with a similar focus, aiming at the sustainability and future valorisation of the projects’ results.

Through collaboration, innovation, and advocacy, the irecs Research Ethics Cluster is thus shaping the future of ethical research.

Author:

Eleni Spyrakou, National Technical University of Athens (NTUA)