NCKU Holds 113th Annual Southern Region Research Ethics Alliance Meeting, Continuing to Promote Research Ethics-國立成功大學永續發展SDGs

National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) Human Research Ethics Review Committee primarily assists researchers from partner schools in the Southern Region Research Ethics Alliance in conducting ethical reviews of their research projects, aiming to promote the protection of research participants' rights. On the 19th, the "113th Annual Southern Region Research Ethics Alliance Meeting" was held at NCKU's Kuang-Fu Campus, with representatives from over 30 member schools in attendance.


In her speech, NCKU Vice President Yuh-Neu Chen expressed gratitude to all the schools for their continued support of the Southern Region Research Ethics Alliance. Through collaborative efforts, a professional consultation channel for research ethics has been established to facilitate resource integration and sharing. This ensures that all parties involved in research projects (research teams, participants, research execution fields, etc.) prioritize ethical considerations throughout the research process, with a focus on human rights and welfare. Vice President Chen thanked the research and development offices of various schools for their role in communication and assistance, providing valuable advice and guidance to NCKU, and looked forward to continued collaboration in promoting research ethics-related activities.


Director of the NCKU Center for the Humanities and Social Sciences, Chun-Li Tsai, mentioned that the NCKU ethics committee has established professional channels for research ethics consultation and review and conducted educational training programs, facilitating resource integration and sharing. In 2023, collaborative efforts with the Seed Fund Schools resulted in well-received diverse forms of research ethics education courses. Future plans include the continuation of online and face-to-face courses with interactive components, providing options for interested individuals to participate. NCKU's efforts to promote research ethics-related activities have gradually stabilized and developed, aiming to meet the research ethics needs of various schools and to raise awareness among researchers about the importance of safeguarding rights and interests while providing research participants with more comprehensive information and respect.


The Southern Region Research Ethics Alliance was established in 2012, with participation and support from over 50 universities and colleges in central, southern, and outlying areas. The alliance's cooperative mechanisms have steadily developed. In addition to routine business reports and discussions, the meeting also invited members of the NCKU Human Research Ethics Review Committee and Teacher Cheng-Hsien Hsieh from Taichung Municipal Taichung Industrial High School to share insights on "gatekeepers of the research field and ethical issues in research," analyzing the ethical issues that "gatekeepers" need to be aware of while assisting in the execution of research.


The NCKU Human Research Ethics Review Committee passed the Ministry of Education's review again in 2022, with over 60 school units signing institutional review agreements for the years 2023-2026. This allows researchers to confidently submit their projects for ethical review, and the positive reputation of the service has led to an increase in the number of cases reviewed annually.


Moving forward, the NCKU Office of Human Research Ethics Governance will continue to operate the Southern Region Research Ethics Alliance, providing services such as research ethics review, educational courses, and professional consultations. This ensures that all relevant parties, including research teams, participants, and research execution fields, pay due attention to ethical issues throughout the research process, collectively creating research outcomes that society can trust.