Attending the meeting were Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dao Thanh Truong - Vice Rector of the University, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bui Thanh Nam - Chairman of the University Council, Head of the Training Department, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Tuan Anh - Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, Dr. John Baumann - Vice President for Research Compliance, Research Compliance Office, Indiana University, and Dr. Nguyen Thi Mai Phuong - Deputy Director of the PHER Project, along with representatives from various units and faculty members of the University.
Associate Professor Dr. Dao Thanh Truong - Vice Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, expressed his gratitude to Dr. Johan Bauman and the PHER project for their collaboration with VNU-USSH throughout the process of establishing the Ethics Committee in Research. The University of Social Sciences and Humanities has collaborated with the PHER project on numerous projects and has achieved significant success in developing a Research Support Center model with functions including supporting research project implementation, establishing an equivalent unit to the Ethics Committee, and providing capacity building training for researchers.
With the aim of internationally standardizing scientific research results, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities has strived to finalize and issue the framework document on the organization and operation of the Ethics Committee in Research, as well as evaluation documents and forms. The cooperation between the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, the PHER project, and Indiana University (USA) will promote the improvement of higher education quality and the accreditation of training programs to international standards.
Dr. Nguyen Thi Mai Phuong, Deputy Director of the PHER Project, highly appreciated the university's efforts in pioneering the establishment of an ethics committee in research. Ethics in human studies in Vietnam is still a new aspect for universities and research institutions. Therefore, the PHER project is honored to partner with the University of Social Sciences and Humanities in modernizing teaching programs, promoting innovative research, and building an ethics committee in research.
Dr. John Baumann expects the Research Council of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities to be the first council of a project to pass the accreditation of the Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
It is known that the University of Social Sciences and Humanities previously issued regulations on the organization and operation of the Ethics Committee in Research. The Ethics Committee's function is to independently and accurately review the ethical aspects of research on human subjects after the research topic has been approved by the relevant departments or funding agencies and before the research begins.
The target audience in the Regulations on Organization and Operation includes faculty, lecturers, and students conducting research on human subjects under the management of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities - VNU Hanoi; and individuals and organizations outside the University of Social Sciences and Humanities who request and are approved by the Ethics Committee for evaluation.
During the meeting, faculty members from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities discussed with experts from the PHER project to finalize the review and evaluation process of the Ethics Committee in research at VNU-USSH. Accordingly, experts from both sides exchanged views on cases exempted from review, standardization of forms and templates, and evaluation procedures.
On March 19, 2024, Dr. Johan Bauman is scheduled to conduct an intensive training session at the Vietnam National University, Hanoi (Hoa Lac campus) on the required documents and forms, as well as details on the roles and responsibilities of each member of the ethics committee, the process, and examples of review and evaluation. Simultaneously, he will analyze the concepts, operational criteria, and definitions in the Regulations on the Organization and Operation of the Ethics Committee.
The University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, consistently maintains its pioneering orientation, playing a core role in training and research in fundamental sciences of the country to achieve regional and international standards, while simultaneously developing several new training disciplines and specializations. The university dedicates many policies to supporting and investing in lecturers and attracting high-quality human resources, developing a sustainable team of scientists. Collaboration with the PHER project and the establishment of a Research Ethics Committee will further develop the university's inherent strengths and spread the scientific research values of VNU-USSH to international universities.
*PHER ProjectThis project, part of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Higher Education Development Support Program, is a five-year initiative from 2022 to 2026 aimed at enhancing the capacity of three key Vietnamese higher education institutions (Vietnam National University, Hanoi; Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City; and Da Nang University) to develop sustainably and more autonomously in the areas of governance, training, research, and business connectivity, meeting the human resource needs for Vietnam's industrialization, modernization, and international integration. The project is funded by USAID through a non-refundable technical assistance grant and implemented by Indiana University, USA.
Indiana University (IU)IU is a public university with in-depth research in social sciences and other fields, and is a world leader in medicine and technology education. IU seeks dynamic and innovative collaborations with local and state organizations in the areas of economic, social, and cultural development, and aims to cultivate leadership skills in addressing 21st-century challenges with intelligent and creative solutions.
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Ethics Committee for Research at VNU-USSH: Agreement reached on the Draft Regulations on Organization and Operation based on consultation with Indiana University (USA).
Establishing an Ethics Committee for Research at VNU-USSH: Consultation from experts at Indiana University.
USSH is collaborating with the PHER Project to enhance the research and innovation capabilities of its faculty.
