Symposium on Ethics Governance in Higher Education and Public Forum on Research Integrity and Science Ethics Successfully Held

Date of Publication: November 11, 2021

To further strengthen the regulation and oversight of science and technology ethics in higher education institutions, share practical experiences in ethics governance and capacity building, and promote science communication related to research integrity and ethics, the Symposium on Ethics Governance in Higher Education Institutions was successfully held in Beijing on October 21, 2021. Under the guidance and support of the Ministry of Education, the event was hosted by Peking University and organized by the Office of Scientific Research at the Peking University Health Science Center.

The symposium was attended by prominent figures including Academician Qimin Zhan of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Chair of the Medical Subcommittee of the National Science and Technology Ethics Committee, and former Executive Vice President and Head of the Health Science Center at Peking University; Mr. Guohui Zhang, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Science and Information Technology of the Ministry of Education; Mr. Renjie Li, Deputy Director of the Division of Basic Research; Ms. Jing Liu, Director of the Division of Research Integrity, Department of Supervision, Ministry of Science and Technology; Mr. Guisheng Liu, Director of the Planning and Evaluation Division, Department of Science, Education and Technology, National Health Commission; and Mr. Genping Li, Director of the Beijing Office of Laboratory Animal Management. In accordance with pandemic prevention measures, representatives from 16 universities—including Peking University, Tsinghua University, and Capital Medical University—participated in the event through a combination of online and in-person formats. The symposium was chaired by Ms. Yu Xiao, Deputy Director of the Office of Scientific Research, Peking University Health Science Center.

Academician Qimin Zhan, Chair of the Medical Subcommittee of the National Science and Technology Ethics Committee, Former Executive Vice President of Peking University, and Former Director of the Peking University Health Science Center

Ms. Yu Xiao, Deputy Director of the Office of Scientific Research, Peking University Health Science Center

The event opened with a keynote address by Academician Qimin Zhan. He noted that since the beginning of the 21st century, global scientific and technological innovation has been unprecedentedly active, with science and technology playing an increasingly profound role in shaping national destiny and public well-being. At the same time, issues of science and technology ethics have become more prominent. Although China has established a relatively complete medical ethics review system since the 1990s, the rapid development of emerging technologies—such as stem cells, gene editing, assisted reproduction, and artificial intelligence—and increasing interdisciplinarity have outpaced the current review systems, which must be urgently improved. He emphasized the need to build a responsible ethics governance framework for scientific innovation. With several top-level initiatives in place, the government has drawn a blueprint for ethics governance in universities. Peking University has accumulated relevant experience in ethics management and research, but further optimization, communication, and improvement are necessary. Academician Zhan outlined key areas for future development, including strengthening personnel training, advancing ethics research, and building sound systems and ethical culture. He underscored that the symposium represents both a positive response to national policies and a collaborative effort to explore ethics governance models suitable for China’s higher education context. He called on universities to enhance cooperation, foster open dialogue, share experiences, and work together to promote high-quality development in ethics governance.

Mr. Guohui Zhang, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Science and Information Technology, Ministry of Education

Deputy Director-General Guohui Zhang delivered key policy instructions on ethics governance in universities. He emphasized that science and technology ethics constitute fundamental value norms that must be upheld in all scientific activities, and are now a major focus both domestically and internationally. The Chinese government has implemented a series of initiatives to improve ethics governance and made it a national priority. Through recent investigations, several issues have been identified, including underdeveloped ethics governance systems in universities, poorly standardized ethics committees, insufficient oversight responsibilities in medical institutions, and a lack of qualified ethics management personnel. He urged universities to take proactive responsibility in strengthening ethics governance frameworks, improving related regulations, and establishing a comprehensive, clearly guided, standardized, and coordinated ethics management system under the leadership of relevant national authorities, in alignment with national strategic needs.

Mr. Guisheng Liu, Director of the Planning and Evaluation Division, Department of Science, Education and Technology, National Health Commission

Mr. Guisheng Liu delivered a keynote report titled Improving Ethics Review and Oversight to Promote Healthy Development of Medical Research. Within the framework of science and technology ethics, he reviewed the status of ethics review in China's biomedical research and provided practical guidance based on national policies and regulatory updates, aiming to improve the effectiveness of ethics governance in the medical field.

Mr. Genping Li, Director of the Beijing Office of Laboratory Animal Management

Director Genping Li delivered a keynote report titled Ethical Requirements in Chinese Science and Technology. He noted that the scope of science and technology ethics is broad, and that China has not yet established dedicated legislation in this area, calling for collective efforts to advance this work. Director Li also emphasized key aspects of ethics in the use of laboratory animals—highlighting review principles, content, procedures, and regulations—and provided an overview of relevant provisions in the Regulations on the Administration of Human Genetic Resources.

Remarks by University Representatives

Next, representatives from various universities delivered keynote reports on the research and practice of ethics governance systems and capacity building, drawing from their respective institutional contexts. These included Liu Fang, Deputy Party Secretary of Capital Medical University; Zhao Xihai, member of the Medical Ethics Committee at Tsinghua University; Zhao Yan, Deputy Director of the Office of Scientific Research at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine; Jiang Bin, Deputy Director of the Center for Medical Technology Research and Development at Peking University Health Science Center; Li Jie, Chair of the Biomedical Ethics Committee at Peking University; Zhang Weiwen, Director of the Center for Biosafety Strategy Studies at Tianjin University; Zhu Lin, Professor at the School of Environmental Science and Engineering at Nankai University; Shao Tian, Deputy Director of the Comprehensive Division of the Office of Scientific Research at Fudan University; Xu Ronghua, Deputy Director of the Research Management Office at Tongji University; Yang Tongwei, Associate Professor at the School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University; Tang Hongbin, Deputy Director of the Animal Experiment Center at Wuhan University; Sun Xiaoxing, Deputy Director of the Office of Scientific and Technological Development at Huazhong University of Science and Technology; Chen Lei, Director of the Clinical Research Management Department at West China Hospital of Sichuan University; Liu Ning, Director of the Division of Academic Development and Research Outputs at the Office of Scientific Research at Shanghai Jiao Tong University; and Yang Bo, Dean of the Office of Scientific Research at Zhejiang University. The discussions were lively, and attendees gained valuable insights from the exchange.

Finally, Prof. Hongbin Han, Director of the Office of Scientific Research at Peking University Health Science Center, expressed his gratitude to the government ministries for their trust and to peer institutions for their support. He noted that this symposium served as a midterm summary for a project commissioned by the Ministry of Education. The event highlighted the unique approaches and achievements of several universities in science and technology ethics and provided a valuable platform for exchanging experience. More importantly, it helped to lay the groundwork for future developments. Under the leadership of the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Science and Technology, and the National Health Commission, he emphasized the importance of identifying real and pressing issues and formulating policy recommendations through collective reflection. Prof. Han concluded that building a sound ethics system is not only about managing the tension between the "spear" of research progress and the "shield" of ethical and genetic resource protection—it is a foundational task that shapes the future of human health and the world to come.

The successful convening of this symposium laid an important foundation for institutional development, improved governance, future collaboration, and joint advancement in science and technology ethics across universities. It also contributes to promoting the deepening and high-quality development of ethics governance in higher education in a more efficient and pragmatic manner, while playing a significant role in advancing science communication related to research integrity and ethics.