A Workshop on the Importance of Ethical Considerations in Research

March 30, 2023

The University Research Council (URC) concluded a workshop on the importance of ethical considerations in research, on March 30, 2023. The workshop was held at Hotel Tourmaline and was attended by 45 permanent staff members of the university and the four RAs from the AI4COVID project. The morning session was in a lecture format with three interactive sessions. Ms. Purnima Perera from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at the Open University of Sri Lanka delivered an inspiring lecture on the basics of research ethics, the importance of ethical scrutiny in research, and the significance of ethical clearance for sociological research. Dr. Samidi Navaratna, from the Department of Community Medicine at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya, followed with a lecture on ethical considerations in biomedical research. Dr. Chathurika Dandeniya, from the Department of Medicine at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya who also represented the Ethical Clearance Committee of the Faculty of Medicine discussed the ethical clearance process.

The evening session was an interactive session facilitated by three experienced researchers: Prof. RM. Mudiyanse from the Department of Paediatrics at the Faculty of Medicine; Prof. Niroshani Zoysa from the Department of Oral Medicine and Periodontology at the Faculty of Dental Sciences; and Prof. Sakunthala Yatigammana Ekanayake from the Department of Education, Faculty of Arts. All the participants enthusiastically engaged in the interactive session, which provided some good insights into ethical flaws in the research. The funding for this workshop was provided by the AI4COVID project, which is funded by IDRC, Canada.

Overall, the workshop provided valuable insights into the importance of ethical considerations in research and how to ensure that research is conducted with integrity and accountability.

You tube link for the workshop:https://youtu.be/2jbNHXMzj44