University of Ghana celebrates inaugural graduation of MSc Bioethics students

In a milestone achievement, the University of Ghana, Legon, marked the graduation of its first cohort of Bioethicists on January 23, 2024.

Comprising 18 individuals with diverse backgrounds, the ceremony underscores the University's commitment to advancing ethical practices in research and public health interventions through its School of Public Health.

The graduates, having undergone intensive training encompassing both theoretical

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The Master of Science in Bioethics program, an innovative interdisciplinary initiative, aims to groom individuals capable of ensuring the ethical implementation of public health interventions, including research endeavors.

The program originated from a collaboration between the University of Ghana and New York University about a decade ago, responding to the need for comprehensive research integrity capacity building, particularly in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) like Ghana.

Initiated through the Ghanaian Research Integrity Development (GRID) project, supported by funding from the Office of Research Integrity (ORI), the program assessed the existing research integrity landscape in Ghana. It identified challenges through self-assessment and developed a plan for capacity building, emphasizing the importance of locally led approaches due to evidence gaps, political context, and cultural nuances.

Building on the success of GRID, the NYU-UG Research Integrity Training Program (NYU UG RITP) was launched. Funded by the Fogarty International Center, U.S. National Institutes of Health, this collaborative program addresses identified gaps in research integrity through a fellowship program focused on research ethics, research integrity, and research governance. Its ultimate aim was to establish the Bioethics program at the University of Ghana School of Public Health.