Africa Research Integrity Project Launches at Addis Ababa University to foster Ethical Research

On March 27, 2024, the Training Centre in Communication (TCC Africa) and Digital Science partnered with Addis Ababa University and the Consortium of Ethiopian Academic and Research Libraries (CEARL) to host a webinar on research integrity and ethics. This webinar marked the launch of the Africa Research Integrity Project, a series of initiatives aimed at strengthening the capabilities of African research ethics and review boards.

The blended webinar, held at Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia, brought together librarians from 40 universities across the country, engaging them in discussions about existing ecosystems and how they can support academic communities in upholding research integrity and ethical practices. The event provided a platform for the stakeholders to engage in discussions, share experiences, and explore strategies to promote research integrity and ethical practices in the African scholarly context. Participants had the opportunity to learn from experts, ask questions, and network with fellow researchers and professionals. The program featured a diverse range of speakers, including Ivan Oransky from Retraction Watch, Dr. Leslie McIntosh from Ripeta (Digital Science), and representatives from the Ethiopian Ministry of Education. The recordings of the session can be accessed here: https://tccafrica.pubpub.org/pub/koqxn931

The preservation of research integrity is essential for upholding the credibility, dependability, and trustworthiness of scholarly communication. It includes ethical behavior, openness, and commitment to rigorous standards in the research process. Research integrity is crucial for the establishment and advancement of academic communication. It ensures the high standard and dependability of research, fosters trust among scientists and others, and guarantees that the knowledge produced has a beneficial and enduring influence on society.

The Africa Research Integrity Project aims to provide capacity support for African research ethics and review boards, fostering a culture of research integrity and ethical conduct on the continent. By bringing together stakeholders from national research councils, institutional ethics and review boards, researchers, government funders, and granting associations and foundations, the project seeks to promote collaboration and address critical issues in the African research landscape. The webinar in Addis Ababa marked a significant step towards achieving these goals.

 Owango, J., McIntosh, L., Babiker, A., & Oransky, I. (2024). Capacity building for African Research Ethics and Review Boards. TCC Africa. https://doi.org/10.21428/359fb1d2.e1385642

About the organizers

Training Centre in Communication (TCC Africa)

The Training Centre in Communication (TCC Africa), the first African-based training centre to teach effective communication skills to scientists. TCC Africa provides  capacity support in improving researchers  output and visibility training, scholarly and science communication. Learn more about TCC Africa at https://www.tcc-africa.org/

Addis Ababa University

Addis Ababa University (AAU), which was established in 1950 as the University College of Addis Ababa (UCAA), is the oldest and the largest higher learning and research institution in Ethiopia. Since its inception, the University has been the leading center in teaching-learning, research and community services. Learn more at http://www.aau.edu.et/about/aau-at-glance/

Ripeta

Ripeta is a company that focuses on providing tools and solutions to improve the reproducibility and transparency of scientific research. The company aims to address issues related to research integrity, such as the lack of reproducibility in scientific studies. Ripeta develops software solutions that help researchers and publishers assess the transparency and reproducibility of scientific articles. Their tools assist in identifying and highlighting key elements of a research paper, such as data availability, code availability, and other critical information necessary for reproducing the study’s results. Learn more at https://ripeta.com/

Digital Science

Digital Science is a technology company that offers research workflow solutions, as well as data and analytical insights, to the research community. Digital Science’s approach is differentiated from others by focusing not only on publications and citations, but also integrating funded grants, datasets, publications, citations, altmetric data, clinical trials, patents, and policy documents to provide more complete views into the research and innovation lifecycle. Learn more about Digital Science at  https://www.digital-science.com/

Consortium of Ethiopian Academic and Research Libraries (CEARL)

CEARL is a consortium of Ethiopian libraries and research institutes focused on enhancing information access and utilization in Ethiopian higher education and research institutions.