“Guangdong’s Implementation Plan on Strengthening Science and Technology Ethics Education in Universities”

Recently, in order to implement the “Notice of the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council on Issuing the Opinions on Strengthening the Ethical Governance of Science and Technology”, improve the ethical governance system of science and technology, effectively prevent and control the ethical risks of science and technology, promote the good of science and technology, benefit mankind, and achieve high Level science and technology self-reliance and self-improvement, the General Office of the People’s Government of Guangdong Province issued the “Implementation Plan on Strengthening the Ethical Governance of Science and Technology” (hereinafter referred to as the “Plan”). The “Plan” introduces the establishment and improvement of the scientific and technological ethics governance system and the review and supervision mechanism, and regulates and explains the violations of scientific and technological ethics and the investigation and punishment.

The “Proposal” proposes to establish and improve mechanisms including the coordination mechanism of science and technology ethics work in Guangdong Province, the responsibility of the innovation subject of science and technology ethics management, and the participation of science and technology social groups in science and technology ethics governance. The member units of the Provincial Science and Technology Ethics Work Coordination Mechanism, the municipal people’s governments at or above the local level, and relevant industry authorities are responsible according to the division of responsibilities, and the relevant work will be completed by the end of 2023. In addition, the “Plan” emphasizes that the daily work of the coordination mechanism of science and technology ethics work in Guangdong Province is undertaken by the Provincial Department of Science and Technology, which involves the fields of human life sciences and medicine, artificial intelligence, and agriculture. The Department of Chemistry and the Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs took the lead.

It is reported that the “Proposal” fully covers the scientific and technological ethics supervision of provincial-level scientific and technological planning projects, including guideline compilation, project application, project approval review, plan implementation, project completion acceptance, supervision and evaluation and other links. Among them, for provincial-level scientific and technological planning projects involving key fields such as life sciences, medicine, and artificial intelligence, and potential threats to society and the environment (such as biosecurity, information security, etc.), the project leader and the project undertaking unit should be required to Sign a science and technology ethics commitment letter, and those who have not signed a science and technology ethics commitment letter will not approve the project; when declaring provincial science and technology plan projects, science and technology awards and honorary titles, applicants who violate the requirements of science and technology ethics will be “one-vote veto”.

The “Plan” emphasizes that science and technology ethics education should be regarded as an important content of undergraduate and postgraduate education in relevant professional disciplines, and colleges and universities should be encouraged to offer courses related to science and technology ethics education. Select two colleges and universities as pilot institutions for science and technology ethics education, and offer science and technology ethics courses in undergraduate classes; improve the training mechanism for science and technology ethics talents, and accelerate the cultivation of a group of comprehensive professional science and technology ethics talents who understand technology, understand ethics, and understand governance.