To all Chairs of the Faculty Research Ethics Committees (FRECs) and Research Ethics Committees (RECs)
Further to the HR Excellence in Research Award offered to the University of Malta on 31 July 2021 and the evaluation result of September 2023 by the EU, the HRS4R Implementation Committee is now required to actuate a number of actions during the period October 2023 - September 2026, as stipulated by the EU to be in line with the European Charter and Code of the Researchers (Charter & Code).
One of the actions requires FRECs and RECs to organise online or face-to-face information sessions to increase the knowledge and make academics, MPhil/PhD candidates, and Research Support Officers aware of the University’s and EU’s guidelines and standards of ethics. In accordance with the Charter & Code, researchers need to be trained and informed to adhere to the recognised ethical practices and fundamental ethical principles appropriate to their discipline(s) as well as to ethical standards as documented in the different national, sectoral or institutional Codes of Ethics.
In view of the above, I request you to forward the following information by email to my office by not later than 18 December 2023:
- The format of any information sessions on ethics procedures that were carried out during the Years 2022 and 2023;
- The number of such information sessions held during this period;
- Copies of notices or internet links to notices informing staff about the above sessions;
- The number of staff who attended the information sessions; and
- The number of information sessions that are planned to be held during the Year 2024.
In my dual role as Pro-Rector for Research & Knowledge Transfer and Chairperson of the HRS4R Committee, I stress the importance for the University of Malta to recognise its responsibility to researchers and the wider community, so as to ensure that the highest standards of integrity and professionalism are observed in the conduct of research.
Therefore FRECs’ and RECs’ cooperation in providing the above-mentioned information and in organising regular information sessions for their entity’s staff on research ethics, would be highly appreciated.
This is a reminder and if you have already sent a reply, please ignore this notification.
Notice published on behalf of,