Ethics and Academic Freedom

The use of new technologies, such as generative artificial intelligence, and the rapid changes in the geopolitical landscape deeply affect our research ecosystem and impact upon the different ethical dimensions of research. This event seeks to explore possible new ethical concerns and risks for research integrity and the countermeasures that institutions and researchers might adopt in order to turn them into opportunities. 

In this context, it is crucial to redefine a responsible research ecosystem based on academic freedom as a fundamental right and as the main route to excellence in science. Together with institutional autonomy, academic freedom fosters independent and critical thinking and is the foundation of a responsible ecosystem of research. We will look at which measures can protect and strengthen it, while ensuring an adequate balance between different needs. 

Indeed, it is necessary to strike a fair balance between freedom and limitations to ensure that researchers, institutions and other stakeholders contribute to co-create responsible research processes. 

This is the third and last event of our series on the fundamentals of research and will foster an extensive discussion on ethics and academic freedom by bringing together institutional stakeholders and researchers to explore opportunities, challenges and best practices.