On May 30-31, La Red Internacional de Universidades (RIU) organized two days of meeting and exchange of ideas among faculty and researchers from the universities that are part of the network. The University participated with two projects of the UNESCO Chair in Bioethics and Human Rights (Faculty of Bioethics) respectively Bioethics and Global Art and Bioethics, Multiculturalism and Religion, and the Interdisciplinary Group on Neurobioethics.
During the meeting, Dean of the Faculty of Bioethics Prof. Alberto Garcia presented the Bioaesthetics Research Group, which has been making valuable contributions to research on issues related to bioethics interpreted through art expressions since 2016. Prof. P. Joseph Tham, LC, Full Professor of the Faculty of Bioethics and Prof. Alberto Garcia also shared the Bioethics Multiculturalism and Religion Project, which since 2009 has been committed to creating forums for discussion with leading experts in religions and cultures to compare various topical issues in light of the Universal Declaration of Bioethics and Human Rights (2005). Finally, Prof. P. Alberto Carrara, LC, Professor of the Faculty of Philosophy and Director of the Neurobioethics Group presented the Research that the Interdisciplinary Group has been carrying out since 2009.
Look through the magazine (in Spanish) to learn about the other hundreds of professors and researchers who participated and made contributions.
Read the dedicated article with the complete collection of photos and videos from the two days.
The 2022 Gender Report calls for us to #DeepentheDebate on gender equality in education.
Firstly it calls for us to pay closer attention to data. The Report has relied upon UIS data on gender gaps in out-of-school rates and a new comprehensive dataset on completion rates housed on its VIEW website. They show that gender disparities in education have changed rapidly. Globally, gender gaps in education access at all three levels of education are close to zero – but stagnation in some countries and pockets of exclusion within others prevail.
Updated data housed on its WIDE website also present an almost global picture of the gender gap in learning outcomes. Girls now outperform boys in learning in general but are not among top performers in mathematics. Their advantage over boys in reading in early grades increases with age. They also outperform boys in science in secondary school in middle- and high-income countries. This analysis provides a baseline against which to compare the next layer of learning data that will be released in the coming 18 months and which will help assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on inequality.
The Report calls for the debate to also look beyond access, completion and learning to societal norms influencing progress. Gender equality in education is influenced by gender-based expectations, by politicians as well as parents, communities as well as businesses and faith leaders. Depending on the context, the role of these actors can push the gender equality agenda forward or undermine progress to maintain the status quo. Read the Report Share the social media pack Watch the event (2-3 PM CEST) Watch the video
From March 15 to 19, the Neurobioethics Study Group coordinated by Fr. Alberto Carrara, L.C., professor in the Faculty of Philosophy and Fellow of the UNESCO Chair in Bioethics and Human Rights (School of Bioethics), participated with numerous national and international events during the Brain Awareness Week organized by the Dana Foundation.
March 15-16 NEURO-COVID. The video-recording is accessible by clicking here.
Speakers: Matilde Leonardi (IIRCS Carlo Besta, Milan) “Long-Covid: neurological aspects” (for the video-recording of this speech click here); Stefano Mazzoleni (bio-robotic engineer, University of Bari) “The epidemic during the time of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics – A new anthropology for a safer world? “; Armando Piccinni (neurologist, psychiatrist and President of BRF, BRAIN RESEARCH FONDAZIONE Onlus of Pisa) “Covid: psychiatric aspects”; Fabrizio Mastrofini (head of the communication office of the Pontifical Academy for Life) “Covid 19 between information and misinformation”; Alberto Carrara “Covid: Anthropological and Neuroethical Issues”; Laura Arnaboldi (Psychologist, SISPI) “From Confinement Syndromes to Long Covid in Psychology”; Bianca Tomasi (Psychologist, SISPI) “Online Psychotherapy during Covid time: the experience of a digital native”; Alberto Passerini (Psychiatrist, Psychotherapist, Founder and Director of SISPI) “Phenomenology of the psychotherapeutic setting: adaptations triggered by the pandemic”; Tania Cerasella (lawyer, member of the GdN) “Pandemics and epidemics of information between disinformation and misinformation: “together for”…. ., the person, in search of truth, justice, with love and kindness”; Emanuela Cerasella (lawyer, coordinator of the subgroup of the GdN on Neurolaw) “Pandemic of Covid 19, exceptional conditions of imbalance between necessities and available resources in health care: when clinical ethics meets law”. Both events were presented and moderated by Claudio Bonito, philosopher and coordinator of the GdN subgroup on Posthumanism.
March 17 NEURO-SPORT. The video-recording is accessible by clicking here.
Speakers: “Sport and neurosciences, the historical roots” (Angela Teja); “”Genetic concept of the psychosomatic spirit applied to sport” (starting from the thought of Fernando Rielo, Founder, thinker, poet 1923-2004)” (Father David Murray); Testimonials 1 – Mauro Raffaeli (Sport that heals), Paolo Di Benedetto (the walk that opens the heart and the mind); “Robotic Neurorehabilitation and Adapted Physical Activity: reality and perspectives” (Luciano Bissolotti, Specialist in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine, Fondazione Teresa Camplani-Casa di Cura Domus Salutis); Testimonials 2 – Carmine Consalvi and Fernando Ruscito (pedagogical work with children through sport). The event was presented and moderated by Claudio Bonito, philosopher and coordinator of the GdN subgroup on Posthumanism.
March 18 NEURO-TECH. NEUROTECHNOLOGIES THAT LOVE THE HUMAN PERSON. The video-recording is accessible by clicking here.
Program:
16:00. Introduction and moderation (Claudio Bonito)
16:10. Greetings from the Rector of the European University of Rome (UER) Prof. F. Pedro Barrajón, L.C.
16:10-18:00. Neurotechnologies that love the human person. Theoretical and practical presentation of neuro-technologies applied to mental pathology at the clinical neuroscience laboratory of the European University of Rome. Prof. Benedetto Farina, Professor of Psychiatry; Prof. Claudio Imperatori, Associate Professor of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, European University of Rome (UER).
March 19 1st WORLD CONGRESS OF NEUROBIOETICS
On the occasion of the 101st anniversary of the birth of neuropsychiatrist Anneliese Alma Pontius (1921-2018), who coined the neologism “neuro-ethics” in 1973, the newly formed INNBE, INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROBIOETICS, was presented.
Certainly, a most special moment was represented by the speeches of some of the Honorary Members of the IINBE: the first one was from the United States of America, by Prof. Stephen M. Stahl, a well-known psychiatrist and pharmacologist; then from Mexico, the Vice-President of FISP (International Federation of Philosophical Societies), Prof. Lourdes Velázquez; next from Mexico again, the President of the Mexican Association of Neuroethics, Prof. Karen Herrera; in Zoom connection, the phenomenologist Angela Ales Bello (Emeritus Philosopher at the Pontifical Lateran University); in presence, the philosopher of the Pontifical Gregorian University and coordinator of the subgroup of the GdN dedicated to Neurobioethics and sexual differences, Prof. Giorgia Salatiello; the coordinator of the subgroup of the GdN on Neurolaw, the lawyer Emanuela Cerasella and Dr. Franco Arosio, for 33 years General Director of the IRCCS Carlo Besta in Milan.
To our big surprise, Prof. Borys Ivnyev, psychiatrist, Rector of Kiev Medical University and Honorary Member of IINBE, was able to connect via WhatsApp call directly from Ukraine. His speech was greeted with loud applause, which caused to both Prof. Ivnyev and to all of us strong emotions. It was a very touching moment that you can see in the video-recording (at the minute 1:40:00), as well as on our social pages.
Finally, we connected with Aversa, one of the local sections of the GdN coordinated by Prof. Mara Marano, who in parallel has organized for this important anniversary for neurobioethics, a prestigious conference attended by: The Bishop of Aversa, the Mayor, the scientist Antonio Giordano, the philosopher Michele Farisco, the Chief Francesco Verde, the theologian Guido Cumerlato and the philosopher Pasquale Giustiniani.
Lastly, the following events were officially announced: (1) the upcoming release of the volume “Anneliese Alma Pontius. A hundred years after her birth. Neuroethics from a female perspective” by A. Carrara and E. Barboni and (2) the Prize of 2,000 euros on Neuro-Education dedicated to the founder of neuroethics “Anneliese Alma Pontius”, whose call for tender will be released in the coming months.
The video-recording is available on the YouTube channel on this link.
In contribution to the UNESCO conference on “World Higher Education” (WHEC), the UNESCO Chair in Bioethics and Human Rights collaborated with Portulans Institute and IIASA for the production of a policy brief entitled: Building a digitally ready education system with a bioethical framework – the new normal.
The Conference will take place in Barcelona, Spain from May 18th until May 20th with the aim of discussing and defining a roadmap for a new era of higher education. This roadmap will specifically address to the challenges faced by higher education, with special attention to the global disruption created by the COVID-19.
Against this background, our policy brief addresses the issue of digital education, often taken for granted or addressed inadequately in the growingly digital social context. According to our policy brief, digital education should be presented through the concept of digital literacy, which encompasses both practical digital skills (such as file management, use of software and coding), but also thinking attributes, aimed at the use of technologies in a safe and ethical way. Against this background, our collaboration presented a digital education model that develops through a bioethical framework based on the values of the Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights.
A concrete example of the application of digital literacy skills in education is represented by the increasingly common phenomenon of disinformation. In fact, like most digital technologies, one of the most difficult aspects in managing disinformation is its rapid spread, accompanied by the difficulty of implementing corrective educational measures of the phenomenon as soon as disinformation materials are generated. According to Dr. Nadejda Komendantova, disinformation must be identified immediately along with people’s general willingness to read correct information. To this end, debunking communications in order to correct disinformation often exacerbates the effects of disinformation. On the other hand, Dr. Komendantova believes that promoting critical thinking and socio-emotional skills in students allows to break the cycle of disinformation. These specific thinking skills should be promoted through various educational activities including, for example, outreach and awareness events focusing on disinformation on the Internet. Overall, critical thinking skills should reflect the creation of an information culture in which people do not rush to draw conclusions, but give themselves time to seek alternative sources of information.
