MCSA at the 23rd FERCAP International Conference in Malaysia

Migrants’ Citizen Science Association (MCSA) participated in the 23rd FERCAP International Conference, held at Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, under the theme “Ethical Research Practices Related to Innovative Research: Challenges and Opportunities.” The conference took place from 26–29 November 2023 in a hybrid format.

MCSA was invited to deliver a Plenary Talk at the FERCAP International Conference 2023 by the Medical Research Ethics Committee of Universiti Malaya Medical Centre. MCSA’s engagement included contributing to the conference’s discussions on Responsible Open Science Research, with a focus on the role of Citizen Science in responsible and open research.

The session on Responsible Open Science Research included Rosemarie Bernabe from the University of Oslo (UiO), Coordinator of the ROSiE – Responsible Open Science in Europe project, and Lisa Häberlein from the European Network of Research Ethics Committees (EUREC). The session addressed Responsible Open Science, including Citizen Science, alongside other aspects of open and responsible research.

MCSA’s contribution centered on Citizen Science within these wider discussions. It is distinct from the ROSiE project and from the roles of its representatives from UiO and EUREC: MCSA did not coordinate ROSiE and did not present the ROSiE project.

MCSA’s participation connected citizen science with wider discussions around responsible research, research ethics and open science. The conference brought together researchers, research ethics professionals and others engaged in responsible research, offering an opportunity to exchange perspectives across regions and disciplines.

Through this engagement, MCSA continued its practice of learning from and contributing to international forums where questions of trust, participation and responsible conduct of research are shared.