ATISR’s Vision for the Future – Supporting Sustainable and Ethical Research

The Association for Technology, Information Systems, and Research (ATISR) positions sustainability and ethics as central pillars of future research practice. As research increasingly shapes technological development, organizational policy, and social outcomes, ATISR’s vision emphasizes responsibility alongside innovation.

Supporting sustainable and ethical research requires coordinated attention to governance, standards, capacity building, and long-term impact. This article outlines ATISR’s forward-looking approach and the principles guiding its role in the research community.

Purpose

ATISR’s vision is grounded in the belief that research should contribute positively to society while maintaining academic rigor. The organization seeks to support research that is methodologically sound, ethically conducted, and aligned with sustainable development goals.

This purpose reflects growing expectations from policymakers, funders, and the public. Research institutions are increasingly assessed not only on outputs, but also on how responsibly knowledge is produced and applied.

Sustainability

Sustainable research considers long-term social, environmental, and economic impacts. ATISR promotes sustainability by encouraging research agendas that address persistent challenges rather than short-term outcomes.

This includes supporting interdisciplinary work, reducing duplication of effort, and promoting efficient use of resources. Sustainable research practices also involve responsible data management, open access where appropriate, and consideration of environmental impacts associated with research activities.

By framing sustainability as an integral research quality dimension, ATISR reinforces its relevance across disciplines.

Ethics

Ethical research practices are central to ATISR’s vision. This extends beyond compliance with formal review processes to include fairness, transparency, and respect for affected communities.

ATISR emphasizes ethical considerations in areas such as data use, algorithmic decision-making, and human subject research. As digital and data-driven research expands, ethical risks become more complex and context-dependent.

Ongoing ethics education and dialogue help researchers anticipate and manage these risks rather than responding after harm occurs.

Governance

Effective governance supports both sustainability and ethics. ATISR advocates for clear governance structures that define accountability, oversight, and decision rights within research initiatives.

This includes guidance on ethical review processes, data stewardship roles, and conflict-of-interest management. Governance frameworks help ensure that ethical principles are consistently applied rather than dependent on individual discretion.

Strong governance also improves transparency and trust among research partners and stakeholders.

Standards

Standards play a key role in operationalizing ATISR’s vision. Shared standards provide consistency in research methods, reporting, and ethical conduct.

ATISR supports alignment with international research and ethics standards while recognizing the need for contextual adaptation. Standards related to data integrity, reproducibility, and responsible innovation are particularly relevant as research becomes more collaborative and global.

Clear standards reduce ambiguity and support comparability across studies and institutions.

Capacity

Building researcher capacity is essential for sustainable and ethical research. ATISR promotes training and professional development that integrates ethics, sustainability, and methodological rigor.

This includes workshops, guidelines, and mentorship initiatives that support early-career and established researchers alike. Capacity building also involves strengthening institutional support systems, such as ethics committees and data governance functions.

Well-prepared researchers are better equipped to navigate ethical complexity and long-term responsibility.

Collaboration

ATISR views collaboration as a driver of responsible research. Partnerships across institutions, sectors, and regions expand perspectives and reduce isolated decision-making.

Collaborative research can improve ethical sensitivity by incorporating diverse viewpoints and stakeholder input. It also supports sustainability by sharing resources and expertise.

ATISR encourages collaboration frameworks that include clear ethical expectations and shared accountability.

Evaluation

Evaluating research success through ethical and sustainability lenses is a growing priority. ATISR supports performance indicators that extend beyond publication counts or funding levels.

Focus Area	Example Indicators	Purpose
Ethics	Review outcomes, incidents	Risk oversight
Sustainability	Long-term impact measures	Societal value
Governance	Compliance and transparency	Accountability
Capacity	Training participation	Capability growth

Such evaluation supports continuous improvement and aligns incentives with responsible research behavior.

ATISR’s vision for the future recognizes that ethical and sustainable research does not happen by default. It requires deliberate structures, shared standards, and ongoing commitment. By promoting governance, capacity building, and responsible evaluation, ATISR aims to support research that advances knowledge while respecting societal values and future needs.

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