Participants of the 2^nd Joint Annual Ethics conference after the Closing ceremony.

The 2^nd Joint Annual Ethics Conference came to a close today October 30, 2022 following a successful three days of intense scholarly discourse on research ethics. 

The closing ceremony was addressed by the Deputy Director for Social and Human Sciences programme at the Kenya National Commission for UNESCO (KNATCOM), Ethics of Science and Sports Division, Dr. Orpha Nyakundi. 

Speaking on behalf of the Secretary General/Chief Executive Officer Dr. Evangeline Njoka, Dr. Nyakundi stressed the importance of collaboration among the various stakeholder groups. She lauded Daystar University and NACOSTI for hosting the annual conference two years in a row. 

The Vice-chancellor, Prof. Laban P. Ayiro underscored the importance of mentorship in research. “Get a mentor, bend down and learn from them,” he advised. 

Prof. Ayiro observed that limited government funding for universities is the root of challenges in research. He also called for accountability saying that new accountability systems must be put in place to ensure high standards in research.

Speaking on Research Ethics in Africa: Lessons from the Past, the Commissioner, Kenya National Commission on Human Rights Prof. Marion Mutugi challenged universities to ensure that ethical research is instilled in every sphere of academia.   

She further called on the governments to enact laws that ensure human rights are upheld and citizens protected from exploitation in the research process.  

The conference culminated with a visit to NACOSTI head office on the afternoon of Friday September 30, 2022. 

In the way forward, several recommendations were given among them: 

1. Daystar University and NACOSTI to organize training sessions on ethics normative instruments, ethical clearance and research regulations in the country for researchers and graduate students, before end of 2022. 
2. Daystar University to reactivates the Interuniversity Graduate Students Forum (IGSF) online platform for sensitization of research ethics among graduate students and supervisors.  
3. Daystar University and NACOSTI to mobilize resources to build the capacities of ISERCs to discharge their mandates. 
4. Daystar University and NACOSTI Conference organizers to launch a multidisciplinary research ethics journal to provide a key avenue to disseminate this (and subsequent ones) Conference proceedings.  
5. Daystar University and NACOSTI organize the 3^rd joint Research Ethics Conference, same dates, in 2023, and extend the invitation to all stakeholders to participate.