The IRECS Final Conference, held in Brussels, Belgium, from 11 to 12 December 2025, proved to be an exceptionally stimulating and productive forum, bringing together diverse perspectives on collaboration, sustainability, and research ethics across Europe and beyond.
Within this rich exchange of ideas, our colleague Dominic Lenzi represented the RE4GREEN project as an invited speaker in the panel “The Sustainable Use of Cluster Networks: IRECS as a Cluster of the Clusters”, which took place on Friday, 12 December 2025. His contribution focused on both the opportunities and the practical complexities of cooperation among European research projects and their partners, inside and outside the EU.
Drawing on RE4GREEN’s work, Dominic presented the project’s contribution to advancing ethical reflection in research, notably through the development of innovative micromodule training materials that embed sustainability and environmental ethics. Hosted on the Embassy of Good Science platform, these resources exemplify RE4GREEN’s commitment to supporting ethics and integrity in everyday research practice. He also outlined the project’s involvement in shaping a proposed addition to the ALLEA Code of Conduct for Research, reinforcing its engagement with European-level standards.
The discussion further addressed the broader reach of European research initiatives. In this context, Dominic highlighted the international character of the RE4GREEN consortium, which brings together expertise from South Africa, Japan, and South Korea, demonstrating how European-funded projects can foster meaningful dialogue on research ethics well beyond Europe’s borders.
At the same time, the panel did not shy away from critical reflections. Attention was drawn to the difficulties of building concrete and lasting collaborations between projects that often differ in scope, priorities, and timelines. Using examples from artificial intelligence and climate engineering, the conversation explored the tension between the strict ethical frameworks governing publicly funded research and the more flexible regulatory environments shaping private-sector research and innovation.
Overall, the session underscored the value of forums such as the IRECS Final Conference in nurturing open, critical, and inclusive scientific dialogue. Such exchanges are essential for strengthening collaboration, confronting emerging ethical challenges, and ensuring that research and innovation continue to be guided by shared values and robust ethical standards.
