1. Governing Council
Role: Oversees strategic direction and global governance of ISSTE.
- Executive Committee:
- President: Chairs council meetings and represents ISSTE in global forums.
- Vice Presidents: Manage regional branches and cross-departmental initiatives.
- Secretary-General: Implements resolutions and coordinates daily operations.
- Advisory Board:
- Senior Ethicists: Review and validate ethical guidelines across disciplines.
- Global Policy Advisors: Liaise with international bodies (e.g., UNESCO, WHO) to align policies.
2. Specialized Committees
Role: Develop discipline-specific ethical frameworks and standards.
- AI Ethics Committee: Sets algorithmic accountability rules and AI transparency standards.
- Bioethics Committee: Reviews ethical implications of gene editing, synthetic biology, and medical technologies.
- Environmental Ethics Committee: Assesses risks of climate engineering and sustainable tech deployment.
- Data Ethics Committee: Monitors data privacy compliance and ethical AI/ML practices.
3. Global Collaboration Network
Role: Facilitate cross-border partnerships and policy alignment.
- Regional Branches:
- Asia-Pacific Branch: Coordinates regional ethics summits and policy dialogues.
- European Branch: Aligns initiatives with GDPR and EU regulatory frameworks.
- North America Branch: Advocates for AI governance legislation and public engagement.
- Strategic Partners:
- UNESCO: Co-publishes global ethics charters and educational resources.
- WHO: Collaborates on medical technology ethics and pandemic response guidelines.
- EU Ethics Board: Shares risk assessment models and regulatory best practices.
4. Support Units
Role: Deliver operational and administrative support.
- Secretariat: Manages membership services, logistics, and internal communications.
- Education & Training Center: Provides certification programs (e.g., Ethics Review Officer) and workshops.
- Ethics Review Office: Conducts pre-project ethics assessments and compliance audits.
Key Responsibilities Overview
| Department/Unit | Core Responsibilities |
|---|---|
| Governing Council | Strategic oversight, policy ratification, and high-level stakeholder engagement. |
| Specialized Committees | Domain-specific guideline development, technology risk assessment, and public consultation. |
| Global Collaboration | Regional policy implementation, intergovernmental partnerships, and joint research funding. |
| Support Units | Operational efficiency, training delivery, and ethics compliance monitoring. |
This structure ensures multidisciplinary collaboration, global scalability, and practical governance for addressing emerging ethical challenges in science and technology.
EthicsTech™ 