Integrating research ethics and integrity with research education: What are the issues?

Abstract

Hierdie studie vertrek vanuit die standpunt dat die opleiding van ’n navorser berus op gehalte navorsingsonderrig. In praktyk beteken dit dat ’n navorser oor meer vaardighede sal beskik as wat tradisioneel met navorsing geassosieer word. Een so ’n vaardigheid is, byvoorbeeld, om eties te wees en die navorsingsprojek met etiese integriteit te doen. ’n Verdere uitdaging is om navorsingsetiek breër te verstaan as die konvensionele verstaan daarvan. Hierdie studie spreek twee sake aan. Eerstens die verstaan van navorsingsetiek in ’n omgewing waar industrie-gedrewe en kommersieel-georiënteer de navorsing net so belangrik soos basiese navorsing geword het. Verder word etiek in ’n samelewing bedryf waar ’n menseregte-ku tuur die botoon voer. Tweedens word ’n raamwerk vir na vorsings-onderrig voor gestel. Hierdie raamwerk is gebaseer op die na vorsings-waardeketting. In die konteks van navorsings onderrig sal aangetoon word dat navorsingsetiek ’n onmisbare deel van navorsingsonderrig is.

This article argues that in preparing a researcher for a career in science, it is fundamental that he/she is trained appropriately. In reality this means that the researcher should have more skills than simply those skills that are traditionally associated with research. One such a skill is to be ethical and express integrity in the research project. Apart from dealing with this challenge, another challenge is to move beyond the conventional/traditional understanding of research ethics. This article will therefore address two issues. Firstly, what the scope for research ethics should be in an environment where industry-informed and commercial-driven research has become as important as basic research and a society known for its human rights culture. Secondly a framework for research education will be proposed. This framework is based on the research value chain. In the context of research education it is highlighted that (research) ethics is an indispensable part of any research training.