Mazonde, I.(SRA International Publications, http://www.srainternational.org, NaN, 2010)
[more]
[less]
Abstract:
This prelude reflects upon the international ethics conference that was held from December 6-9, 2009, at the University of Botswana in Gaborone, Botswana. Seeking international
partners and then forging mutually viable and effectively working links with them is the life blood of a university in a developing country. This partnering is necessary largely because a university in a developing country often lacks resources and affirmation. The resources it lacks range from intellectual capital to funding for its scholarly endeavors. This paper demonstrates how the University of Botswana, as an example of a university in a developing country, has reached out to join hands with a resource-endowed community in the western world through putting up a world class and modern international conference on ethics, one of the most topical concerns in academia.
It is globally expected that universities will ensure that policies guiding researchers’
conduct are in place and adhered to. This expectation is not waived in developing countries.
Successful implementation of an ethics policy is facilitated by an appropriate national
regulatory framework on which to base the argument for compliance. However, it is possible
to implement such policies even when a regulatory framework is absent. The University
of Botswana implemented a program to increase awareness of research ethics and to manage allegations of research misconduct through a needs assessment and seminars on the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR). This paper describes this problem, and the success
of the program initiated to address it. This program serves as a model for other research
institutions in the developing world that may encounter similar challenges.