Loyola-Ukrainian Catholic University International Bioethics Research Training Program

Project Summary/Abstract The Loyola University Chicago-Ukrainian Catholic University (LUC-UCU) Doctoral and Post- Doctoral Bioethics Training Program will provide advanced doctoral-level education in research ethics in English to Ukrainian scholars. The aim of this program is to educate a critical mass of bioethics experts who will hold positions of leadership in health research institutions in Ukraine and contribute to bioethics scholarship. During five years of funding, approximately 12-15 trainees (10-12 doctoral fellows and 2-3 postdoctoral fellows) will be selected for their demonstrated commitment to advancing bioethics, ethical research, and research integrity in Ukraine and their potential for success as independent scholars. Doctoral fellows will spend approximately 3-4 years completing coursework in Loyola’s online doctoral bioethics program while living in Ukraine. They will also participate in monthly webinars on academic success and professional development; attend annual intensive in-person workshops; and contribute to bioethics-related activities at UCU. They will be supported to publish their conceptual and empirical scholarship in international peer-reviewed bioethics journals. Post-doctoral fellows, who should ideally have faculty appointments at Ukrainian institutions of higher education, will conduct mentored research projects as well as design and implement a bioethics-related program at their home institution. All doctoral and post-doctoral fellows’ academic, research, and professional development activities will be guided by an individual professional development plan prepared jointly by the fellow, the program director, and the two mentors (one at LUC and one in Ukraine). Upon completion of the program, fellows will have a strong foundation in bioethics research design, methods, and analyses; have a solid understanding of bioethics theory and ethical practice related to global health research; and be able to independently conceptualize, analyze and solve bioethics research problems. Competencies gained will allow fellows to hold leadership positions at their institutions and teach bioethics, lead ethical review of research, and provide consultation on ethical issues to biomedical and behavioral and social science researchers. As research activity increases in Ukraine, these individuals will be instrumental in providing direction on matters of research ethics not only to their own institutions but to government agencies and international organizations.