Bioethics and the Responsible Conduct of Science in Algeria
In June 2013, the US. National Academy of Sciences and the National Biotechnology Research (C.R.Bt) have led an effort to organize a workshop on “Education and the Responsible Conduct of Science in Algeria” to develop the outline for and a plan for developing a curriculum on responsible conduct of science in Algeria. One the goals was to work with faculty members, mainly those from medical and life sciences, from different higher education and research institutions in the country to achieve a consensus on a curriculum that would worthy supported and teaching.
After the workshop, a group of faculty members from different universities had continued the initiated process of identifying the critical elements that are essential to contribute to the establishment of a framework of responsible conduct of science and to incorporate these in curriculum. The thinking efforts and work, made, led out a first proposition of course on bioethics and ethics that was submitted to the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, through the CRBt (Natiobal Biotechnology Research Center. This first proposition was drawn to fit to the both teaching systems in Algeria, the classic and the LMD "Licence-Master-Doctorat", for all levels and for different disciplines of Sciences. One of the indicator of the project success in Algeria is the incorporation in few educational programs a course of bioethics and ethics in several universities. However, beside the praiseworthy efforts made due to the context, further persistent endeavors have to be undertaken on how to teach in a meaningful way through train the trainers. The support of International collaboration and network would be one of the best ways to implement and to continue promoting the culture of conducting a responsible science and valorize the led efforts.