Trust and reliability in research

ITAS is investigating the conditions and reasons for trust, distrust, and reliability in science, technology, and innovation. With iRECS and IANUS, two new projects funded by the European Commission deal with the topic.
Holzwürfel mit Buchstaben bilden das Wort "Fakenews"
Trust in science is in the focus of two new ITAS projects. (Source: Alex Shute / unsplash)

How do trust and reliability arise in research and under what conditions does distrust emerge? When is trust and when is distrust warranted? How can competence in research ethics be fostered and what could be the role of a code of ethics for research? And finally, how can different stakeholders and citizens work together to build trust in science, technology, and innovation and reflect on the reasons for distrust? ITAS is exploring these questions in iRECS and IANUS, two new research projects funded by the European Commission.

Strengthening the principles of research ethics

The iRECS project will identify ethical and legal challenges of new technologies in research on a global scale in order to improve the understanding of research ethics in Europe. It will also provide interactive and sustainable training programmes on ethical impacts of new technologies for researchers, allowing for the anticipation and mitigation of ethical issues in European and global settings.

How can warranted trust be strengthened?

With regard to citizens, stakeholders, and researchers, the IANUS project has a twofold mission: On the one hand, it aims to support them in distinguishing warranted from unwarranted trust in science, technology, medicine, and innovation, and in dealing with uncertainties and pluralism in scientific knowledge. On the other hand, IANUS allows them to engage in and with research and development in ways that are radically new in terms of transparency and societal co-creation. To this end, the project team will use a wide variety of methods and exemplary past and current controversies, for example the one about “human enhancement”. (17.04.2023)

Further information: