The SIMPLIFY project co-organised a workshop Building Trust in European Research: Evolving Models of Ethics Review and Governance in the Social Sciences and Humanities in Bonn, Germany, together with EUREC and NEKS. The event brought together experts from social sciences, humanities, emerging technologies, and biomedical ethics to explore how ethics governance can better support the specific needs of SSH research.
Discussions highlighted the need for ethics systems that go beyond compliance by providing continuous support throughout the research lifecycle. Participants emphasised the importance of recognising the distinctive ethical challenges of SSH research, strengthening the role and sustainability of ethics committees, and fostering trust, collaboration, and institutional cultures that promote responsible research across Europe. The workshop reaffirmed that effective ethics governance is essential for high-quality, socially relevant, and trustworthy research.
