As part of the mandatory Children’s Rights Week within the ERMA programme, an open online lecture titled “Research Ethics: Vulnerable Groups and Children!” was held on 8 April 2025 at 14:00 CET. The lecture was delivered by Dr. Mst Umme Habiba Fahmina Karim from the Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies, Mahidol University.
This course was designed for researchers interested in conducting research involving children as research subjects. While many ethical standards that apply to child participants may seem similar to those for adults at first glance, there are several important distinctions worth discussing and exploring. The lecture addressed ethical issues such as harms and benefits, informed consent, and privacy, particularly regarding children’s rights when they participate in research. It also explored critical aspects of child rights in research by analysing well-established ethical standards developed by leading organisations, along with insights from current peer-reviewed work.
The event brought together around 40 participants, including students from the ERMA programme and other universities. It was an excellent example of interregional collaboration between the Global Campus South East Europe (GCSEE) and the Global Campus Asia-Pacific hubs, highlighting the importance of joint learning on ethical research practices involving vulnerable groups, especially children.