The University Alliance Ruhr (UA Ruhr) is strengthening its cooperation with a joint Council for Ethics and Responsibility. The newly established commission was constituted at the end of October 2024.

The nine-member council will deal with major discussions on values in science and research within the UA Ruhr. These may include, for example, science and technology assessment such as the civil clause, university activities in the public sphere in view of the neutrality requirement and questions about the limits of individual freedom in the academic community.

The Council's composition covers a broad, diverse range of subjects and expertise and is intended to enable diverse approaches and perspectives on the topics through this diversity. Its members include the following professors from Ruhr University Bochum (RUB), University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE) and TU Dortmund University:

• Ulf Dittmer, University of Duisburg-Essen, Medicine
• Stefan Huster, Ruhr University Bochum, Law
• Katja Ickstadt, Dortmund University of Technology, Computer Science/Statistics
• Elsa Kirchner, University of Duisburg-Essen, Medical Engineering
• Nicole Krämer, University of Duisburg-Essen, Social Psychology
• Karola Marky, Ruhr University Bochum, IT Security
• Christian Neuhäuser, Dortmund University of Technology, Philosophy
• Wolfgang Rhode, Dortmund University of Technology, Experimental Physics / Astroparticle Physics
• Eva Weber-Guskar, Ruhr University Bochum, Practical Philosophy / AI

Their task is to discuss overarching topics and reflect on principles that local ethics committees can also use as a guide when evaluating individual research projects. The aim is to set common guidelines for ethical action in challenging and complex times, both for the individual institutions and within the network, emphasize the heads of the three partner universities. “We hope that the Council for Ethics and Responsibility will provide fundamental, value-oriented statements as well as analyses and advice in complex consideration processes,” say the Rector of the University of Duisburg-Essen, Prof. Dr. Barbara Albert, and the Rectors of Ruhr University Bochum and the Technical University of Dortmund, Prof. Dr. Martin Paul and Prof. Dr. Manfred Bayer. Accordingly, the Council is a good complement to ethics committees or ombudsman offices at the three partner universities.