The IU-Moi Academic Research Ethics Partnership

TaSkR Workshop, Nakuru, Kenya 2010

In 2008, the Indiana University Center for Bioethics was awarded a $940,000 grant from the Fogarty International Center (NIH) to establish a new research ethics training partnership with colleagues at Moi University in Eldoret, Kenya. The Indiana University-Moi University Academic Research Ethics Partnership (IU-Moi AREP) was established to prepare students, faculty and administrators to understand the ethical issues arising in international health research. Jointly directed by Eric Meslin (IU) and Duncan Ngare (Moi), IU-Moi AREP is already bearing fruit. Since starting the program, two Teaching Skills in International Research Ethics (TaSkR) workshops have been held, one in Indianapolis (2009) and one in Nakuru (2010) for more than 65 faculty and students from Eldoret and Indianapolis. These workshops are designed to teach people how to teach about ethical issues in research. The next workshop will be in Indianapolis in April 2011.

Among the innovative features of IU-Moi AREP was establishing two interconnected Master’s programs in Indianapolis and Eldoret. In September 2009, a new MA in Philosophy with a concentration in International Research Ethics was approved at IUPUI , and two students (see picture) have been admitted. In 2010, Moi University approved a new MSc in International Health Research Ethics welcoming eight students to the current class. This is the first time two universities have successfully established this type of partnership graduate program, a key feature of which is a practicum experience where students can learn about topics in research ethics and work on a specific research projects geared towards their specific interests. Each year several Moi graduate students will come to Indianapolis, and IUPUI students will travel to Kenya.