Recently, the Trippenhuis of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences was the scene for the kick-off of the SATORI project. With a € 4.7 million budget (financed by the EU) and a four-year term, the SATORI consortium - made up of seventeen partners from thirteen countries - hopes to improve and, where possible, standardize the ethical assessment practices in European member states within the fields of research and innovation. UT Professor Philip Brey, coordinator of the international project, says: "It would be great if we could develop some sort of European standard for the ethical assessment of research and innovation. In the modern day and age, this becomes increasingly important as societal consequences for human rights, the environment, justice, well-being and privacy can be considerable."
The project consists of a series of 'work packages', starting with a systematic listing of the current practices and principles within ethics assessment, an evaluation of existing projects and an identification of stakeholders. In addition, the SATORI consortium will look into the effects of globalization and the extent to which scientific research and innovation projects are granted to non-European countries with less strict ethical norms and legislation. The project will outline an ethical assessment framework which can be used for several areas of expertise and organizations. Moreover, SATORI will research which assessment methods are most effective and cost efficient.
About SATORI
SATORI is the abbreviation for 'Stakeholders Acting Together On the ethical impact assessment of Research and Innovation'. SATORI's aim is to develop a common framework of ethical basic principles, approaches and practices which are supported by all the important actors involved in designing and implementing ethical principles and legislation within the fields of research and innovation. The most important stakeholders include scientists, legislators, the civilian society, companies, public bodies, EU member state committees on research ethics, relevant international organizations and other societal stakeholders, amongst whom the civilian population. Knowledge centres, government bodies and large companies are involved in the project, and UNESCO also plays a big part.
More information
More information about the partners and visual material for the press can be found on www.satoriproject.eu. Philip Brey, Professor in Philosophy of Technology at the UT, has been appointed to coordinate this international project. Also read the complete SATORI introduction here. Brey's research is part of University of Twente's CTIT research institute.
