The Institutional Research Ethics Committee (IREC) recently convened a two-day Research Ethics, Integrity and Community Engagement Workshop as part of its strategic mandate to strengthen ethical governance, enhance research integrity, and ensure institutional compliance with national regulatory frameworks. The workshop aligns with DUT’s broader commitment to advancing high-quality, socially responsive research that is ethically sound, globally competitive, and locally relevant.
This intervention was designed not only to reinforce compliance with established ethical standards but to strengthen a more integrated, values-driven approach to research practice. It responded to emerging institutional and sectoral priorities, including the increasing complexity of research ethics oversight, the growing importance of data governance under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), and the ethical implications of rapidly evolving technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI). In addition, the workshop addressed the need to strengthen community-engaged research in line with national transformation and decolonisation agendas.
The workshop was structured to provide a coherent progression from foundational principles to applied ethical practice. Day One focused on research ethics and integrity, while Day Two extended these principles into data governance and community engagement. Across both days, the programme combined theoretical grounding with practical application, supported by case-based learning and interactive engagement.
The opening sessions established a strong conceptual foundation by tracing the evolution of research ethics and situating current practices within globally recognised frameworks such as the Nuremberg Code, the Declaration of Helsinki, and the Belmont Report. This historical grounding reinforced the institutional responsibility to uphold ethical standards across all research disciplines.
The programme further engaged with the core ethical principles of respect for persons, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice, emphasising their application throughout the research lifecycle. Ethical conduct was positioned as central to institutional credibility, public trust, and the integrity of research outputs.
A key component of the programme focused on the role of Research Ethics Committees (RECs), particularly IREC, in providing oversight and safeguarding participant welfare. Participants were guided on the preparation of robust ethics applications, with emphasis on methodological clarity, ethical alignment, and comprehensive risk assessment. The workshop highlighted application quality as a critical determinant of review efficiency and the need for ongoing capacity development.
A central contribution of the workshop was the reframing of research integrity as a values-based and systemic construct rather than a compliance requirement. Integrity was emphasised as being underpinned by honesty, accountability, transparency, and respect, and collectively sustained by researchers, institutions, and governance structures.
The workshop also addressed key risks to research integrity, including publication pressures, inadequate supervision, poor data management, and unethical authorship practices. It highlighted the need for institutional interventions that extend beyond compliance to include strengthening research culture, ethics training, and transparent mechanisms for addressing misconduct.
The POPIA-focused session examined the legal and ethical requirements governing the processing of personal information, including accountability, purpose specification, data minimisation, and security safeguards. It emphasised that data governance is an ongoing institutional responsibility, particularly in increasingly data-intensive research environments.
The workshop further explored the ethical use of artificial intelligence in research. While acknowledging the benefits of AI tools such as ChatGPT in data analysis, literature synthesis, and writing support, the programme highlighted risks including data privacy concerns, algorithmic bias, lack of transparency, and issues of reliability. Emphasis was placed on researcher accountability, with responsibility for outputs remaining with the researcher.
Day Two of the workshop focused on community-engaged research, grounded in the philosophy of Ubuntu. The programme emphasised that ethical research is relational and must prioritise mutual respect, shared benefit, and meaningful collaboration.
Traditional research approaches that position communities as passive subjects were critically examined, particularly in relation to risks such as tokenism, exploitation, and unequal benefit distribution. Community-engaged research was presented as a more ethical and sustainable model that promotes shared ownership, cultural relevance, and social impact.
The workshop also highlighted the importance of addressing power dynamics in research relationships, including issues of authorship, resource control, and decision-making authority. The concept of “helicopter research” was introduced as an example of unethical practice, with participants encouraged to adopt participatory and co-creative research approaches.
Further focus was placed on the decolonisation of research ethics, with emphasis on indigenous knowledge systems, knowledge justice, and cultural sensitivity. Within the South African context, language, belief systems, and community contexts were identified as key ethical considerations.
Participant engagement on Day Two was particularly strong, with feedback reflecting appreciation for the practical, reflective, and contextually relevant nature of the sessions. Participants noted improved understanding of ethical community engagement and increased awareness of power and responsibility in research.
Participants further indicated that the workshop enhanced their ability to identify ethical risks in community-based research, apply participatory approaches, navigate ethical dilemmas, and promote justice, equity, and inclusivity.
Overall, the workshop achieved its objective of strengthening ethical awareness, research integrity, and practical competence. Participants reported increased confidence in preparing ethics applications, improved understanding of ethical risks, and enhanced capacity for responsible engagement with communities.
Importantly, the workshop contributed to fostering a more reflective and values-driven research culture, encouraging a shift from procedural compliance towards ethically grounded and socially responsive research practices. The integration of AI and data governance further strengthened the strategic relevance of the programme.
The workshop highlights several strategic priorities for institutional consideration, including the need to institutionalise and scale ethics capacity-building initiatives across the university. Strengthening support for ethics application development will be critical to improving efficiency and compliance within IREC processes.
Ongoing training and guidance on data governance and digital research environments, particularly POPIA compliance and AI ethics, will also be essential. The promotion of community-engaged research should be prioritised within the university’s transformation agenda, supported by practical frameworks for implementation.
Finally, continued investment in fostering a research culture grounded in integrity, accountability, and ethical responsibility remains essential for institutional credibility and research excellence.
The Research Ethics, Integrity and Community Engagement Workshop represents a strategically significant intervention in advancing DUT’s ethical research agenda. By integrating foundational principles with emerging and applied dimensions of research practice, the workshop has strengthened institutional capacity to navigate complex ethical challenges in a rapidly evolving research landscape.
The programme reinforces that ethical research extends beyond compliance and is central to the integrity, quality, and societal impact of research. Sustained investment in such initiatives will be critical in positioning DUT as a leader in ethical, inclusive, and socially responsive research.
Pictured: Professor Pfano Mashau, Director of the DUT Business School, speaking at the Research Ethics, Integrity and Community Engagement Workshop.
Bongeka Ndaba
