Ethics and core academic values as a starting point
Academic core values such as academic freedom and scientific integrity form the foundation of higher education and research.
The academic core values also guide activities with foreign partners. Foreign (guest) researchers and lecturers, like their Belgian colleagues, must subscribe to and comply with the Code of Conduct.
‘Open science’ is the norm in Europe: The aim is to make publicly funded research results accessible to all. However, there may be legitimate reasons (protection of national security) for not doing so.
Ethical dilemmas can play a role when working with countries that do not respect fundamental rights. How can research results be prevented from being used there for repression or violation of human rights? If necessary, consult the ethics committee within your institution (e.g. in universities) that can advise on the ethical use of research results.
Knowledge institutions have a duty of care with regard to employees and students in terms of social safety. For students and researchers from countries where fundamental rights are not respected, this security can be seriously compromised by the actions of the country of origin.
Research security measures should not be allowed to ‘fail’; arbitrary exclusion, suspicion, stigmatisation or discrimination can be avoided.
