Significant changes await TalTech’s Academic Ethics Committee (AEC) in terms of both its composition and its goals.
Set up as the university’s ethical standards watchdog, between 2021 and 2023 the committee made a significant contribution to the systemic functioning of academic ethics, to the thorough assessment of the ethical aspects of research projects and to the development of ethics teaching methods at the university. Thanks to its work, a variety of teaching materials have been produced to support the understanding and implementation of academic ethics among students, researchers and staff at TalTech.
However, the AEC has also been involved in broader discussions at the national level and has led the exchange of information between universities in key areas such as the regulation of AI.
Its focus for the next two years will be improving the ethical assessment of studies and research projects and deepening cooperation with other committees of its kind in Estonia. Within TalTech, the AEC will continue to support staff, researchers and students in facing their academic and ethical challenges. With the new committee commencing work in March 2024, an injection of energy and fresh perspectives are awaited so as to continue the important mission of the AEC.
The committee’s activities and achievements can be tracked on the TalTech website and on its intranet, providing valuable information and resources for everyone at the university. Of particular note are the teaching materials produced by the AEC, including ‘Ethical People in an Ethical University’, which provides a comprehensive overview of academic ethics for different target groups. The materials are available in Estonian and English. Their popularity is reflected in the fact that over 400 people have already taken the course since its launch earlier this year. The course can be accessed via Moodle, with added value provided by the various webinars that were held in 2023 and which will continue in 2024.
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The new committee will take office in March 2024. The current members of the committee are Birgy Lorenz (chair), Ott Scheler (vice-chair), Aive Pevkur, Kaido Kikkas, Jakob Kübarsepp, Anna Volkova, Niina Dulova, Archil Chochia, Yrjo Saarinen and Siim Veski. Their work is supported by Ülle Vaht (Chief Research Administration Officer), Henri Schasmin (Coordinator for Protection of Personal Data and State Secrets) and Teele Lember (Legal Officer for Research).