Research Ethics Committee Association of Southern Africa
Connecting RECs in Southern Africa

What is REASA?

The Research Ethics Committee Association of Southern Africa (REASA) is an initiative which arose from the Advancing Research Ethics Training in Southern Africa (ARESA) programme.

The ARESA programme, which was funded by the Fogarty International Centre of the United States National Institutes of Health (NIH), represented a collaboration between the Centre for Medical Ethics and Law, Stellenbosch University, and the Center for Bioethics, University of North Carolina (2010 – 2015).

REASA originated from the ARESA programme, but it is, however, not directly affiliated with any tertiary academic institution. REASA strives to establish and promote communication amongst its members through sustainable networks between Research Ethics Committees (RECs) in Southern Africa and the African continent; to promote the philosophy and practice of quality in research ethics; as well as provide information, support and training related to research ethics to its members.

What is REASA'S Vision?

The vision of this independent multidisciplinary membership association is ‘Connecting research ethics committees in Southern Africa’, which is indicative of the Association’s commitment to provide a platform for the co-construction of lasting research ethics committee (REC) networks in Southern Africa. It plans to do so through:
“Co-operative Engagement to promote the philosophy and practice of ethical human and animal research in Southern Africa;
Communication by providing pertinent information;
Care by fostering a sense of community among its members;
Connection by establishing networks for the discussion of topics of mutual interest; and
Capacity Strengthening through a mentoring, training, consulting and advocacy service for its members.”

What is REASA'S Strategy?

The objectives of REASA include:
  • Seeking out and establishing mutually beneficial connections between research ethics committees in Southern Africa.
  • Promoting the philosophy and practice of ethical human and animal research in Southern Africa.
  • Providing information, support, and training to its membership
  • Establishing local, national and international networks for the discussion of research ethics-related topics of mutual interest.
  • Facilitating co-operation and communication amongst its membership.
  • Developing regional policies on research ethics based on the collective view from the regions.
  • Providing a mentoring, consultative, and advocacy service for its members.
  • Providing capacity development courses and other interventions to build the capacity and capabilities of research ethics committees in Southern Africa.
The strategy by which REASA plans to achieve these objectives is two-fold and is driven by the Education and Training workgroup and the Marketing and Communication work group within the Executive Committee.
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