ORGANIZATION

Message

Makoto Asashima <Conference Chair>

It is with great pleasure that I announce the 5th International Conference of the Asia Pacific Research Integrity Network (APRI) in Tokyo. This conference is cohosted by the Association for the Promotion of Research Integrity in Japan (APRIN) and Waseda University, and I would like to extend a warm welcome to all participants and stakeholders. Since its establishment in 2016, APRIN has, through nationwide projects, brought together researchers and others from the Japanese Government, industries, universities, and research institutions to address the issues of research ethics and integrity. With the current pace of science and tech development together with the transformation of information technologies, we are facing an ever greater need for maintaining research as an ethical and reliable endeavor. To accomplish this goal, it is critically important to establish a standard for research ethics and integrity acceptable throughout the world. This requires the mutual understanding of regional cultures and traditions. With this in mind, I anticipate an intense exchange of ideas among attendees from diverse areas during this conference. Through the exchange of ideas, new emerging concerns, such as preprint publication and public interest vs. privacy protection will be discussed. In designing the program, we found it important to achieve mutual understanding among not only researchers from geographically divergent areas but also those in a variety of research fields, such as biology and the arts. Teaching is an important task for APRI, therefore good practice and areas of collaboration between APRI and its members will be presented. Ethics and integrity are important not only for researchers, but also for industries, the government, and research institutions. We hope to lay the groundwork for the further promotion and development of research integrity in Asia and the Pacific Rim.

Jun Fudano <Local Lead> (Chair, Local Executive Committee)

  On behalf of the Executive Committee and Waseda University, one of the co-organizers, I would like to extend our warmest greetings to all prospective participants of the 5th Asia Pacific Research Integrity Network Meeting in Tokyo (APRI2023 Tokyo).
    The APRI2023 Tokyo will be held using a hybrid model from March 20–22, 2023, with a pre-conference onsite seminar on March 19. The meeting is the first of its kind especially in terms of its global perspectives and size. It is our honor to host this landmark conference.　 While we strongly hope to have this meeting in person, we will keep a close eye on the status of the COVID-19 pandemic, and if necessary, we may have to decide to make it a fully online meeting.
    The theme of APRI2023 Tokyo is “Fostering understanding of regional differences and common goals in research integrity.” We will explore various issues in order to promote research integrity across cultural, geographical, disciplinary, and institutional boundaries. It is our hope to bring together not only academic researchers and administrators, but also participants from various sectors, including government, funding agencies, the media, and industry, to address challenges for the promotion of research integrity and ethics and to foster a thriving research culture. We also hope to have as many participants from as many countries and regions as possible, including developing countries, so we plan to have travel grants available.
    The first day of the conference, i.e. March 20, 2023, will be held jointly with the annual National Meeting for the Promotion of Research Integrity, which is hosted by the Association for the Promotion of Research Integrity (APRIN), the main organizer, and has been attended by several hundred Japanese research integrity stakeholders including scholars and administrators each year. We will ensure that participants from abroad will have ample opportunities to interact not only among themselves but also with Japanese counterparts.
    Waseda University, one of the oldest private universities in Japan, is honored to co-host the conference and provide the venue. Our main campus, where the conference will be held, is located in the central part of Tokyo and it is home to several museums and cultural facilities including the Haruki Murakami Library (the Waseda International House of Literature), which we hope everyone can find time to visit.
  We are looking forward to welcoming you to APRI2023 Tokyo and Waseda University, hopefully in person, with the cherry blossoms in full bloom.

Organizer

The Association for the Promotion of Research Integrity （APRIN） is a general incorporated association founded on April 1, 2016, by leading researchers in Japan from such academic disciplines as medical life sciences, engineering and humanities, aiming to raise awareness of global code of conduct that change with advancement of science by providing researchers, future fledging researchers and those supporting research in Japan with educational materials and study sessions on research ethics and integrity, and to actively support research activities of research institutions and various other academic societies. To date, APRIN has expanded targets of its support to include not only researchers and graduate students at higher educational institutions like universities but also secondary education teachers and students and workers of industries.

Co-organizer

Waseda University, founded in 1882, is one of the oldest and most respected private universities in Japan. Founded by Shigenobu Okuma, an eminent statesman who served as prime minister twice in 1898 and from 1914 to 1916, Waseda has many notable alumni such as nine prime ministers including the current prime minister, Fumio Kishida. It has about 38,000 undergraduates and 9,000 graduate students in 10 academic divisions and a number of campuses including the Waseda main campus where the APRI2023 Tokyo Meeting will be held. (For virtual campus tour, see https://waseda-vrtour.com)

The university formulated "Waseda Vision 150," a vision of what the university should be in 2032, the 150th anniversary of our founding. With our motto “Best Education, Best Research, Best Community,” we are striving for excellence to make Waseda “Shining Globally." It is our current goal stated in “Wseda Vision 150 and beyond.” We are determined to move forward toward our feasible dream of becoming the most valuable university to study in Japan by 2040 and the most desired university to enter in Asia by 2050.

As clearly stated in “Waseda University Academic Research Ethics Charter,” the university holds paramount research integrity because “the mission of Waseda University is to achieve a high ideal of academic research that conforms with its founding principles of Academic Independence and Enterprising Spirit,” and wishes “to promote contributions to human welfare and world peace through academic research.” Thus, Waseda is pleased and honored to host the 5th APRI Networking Meeting 2023, the first of its kind in Japan, on our campus.