28 October 2019
Two policies that set out how St Helena will manage and oversee research on the Island have been approved by the Education Committee.
The first, the St Helena Research Policy, sets out the principles under which research on St Helena may be conducted and establishes the St Helena Research Council to authorise and oversee research on St Helena.
As set out in the Island’s Sustainable Economic Development Plan (2018), St Helena is eager to enhance global academic links and to welcome researchers, archaeologists and conservationists. St Helena contains a third of all endemic species known to exist in the UK and its Overseas Territories as well as many native species. There is a significant level of environmental expertise already in existence on the Island. St Helena’s history and heritage also elicit significant academic interest and there is also a growing interest in broader fields of academic and theoretical research in areas such as society, health and wellbeing.
St Helena encourages high-quality and reputable research. However, St Helena Government is cognizant of the risks posed by unregulated research. The new St Helena Research Policy is designed to ensure that research undertaken on St Helena is beneficial and in the best interests of the St Helena community. St Helena Government supports the development of local research capacity as well as partnerships with international researchers and research institutions. Depending on the subject matter, research on St Helena is regulated and guided by the Environmental Protection Ordinance (2016) as well as government policy.
The St Helena Research Policy seeks to assure the:
- Protection of St Helena’s vital interests, including the protection of the Island’s people, environment and heritage
- Positive development for St Helena through:
- Knowledge transfer
- Equitable benefit sharing
- Long-term capacity building
Anyone wishing to conduct research on St Helena, regardless of the field of study, must first obtain a Research Licence in compliance with the Policy, from the St Helena Research Council.
The second policy, the St Helena Research Institute Policy establishes the St Helena Research Institute (Research Institute) as an affiliated centre of the Life Long Learning Sector of the Education & Employment Directorate. The Research Institute is established as an umbrella for research on the Island, to support, promote and expand high quality research on St Helena and to assure that the Island receives maximum benefit from these research activities.
The Research Institute works closely with the St Helena Research Council, and offers support services to both the Research Council and the research community. The Research Institute is intended to facilitate and enable responsible and high-quality research, to inform the research community of research opportunities and priorities on St Helena, to offer advice and guidance which will support researchers in their work and to ensure that the data produced and knowledge gained is retained and, in compliance with licence agreements, accessible.
The St Helena Research Institute also works with other key stakeholders and the research community to help assure the collection, preservation, and appropriate use and dissemination of research data and findings from research conducted on St Helena.
The work of the Research Institute is guided by the St Helena Research Institute Steering Group.
For enquiries about research or for further information please contact: enquiries@sthelenaresearch.edu.sh
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SHG
28 October 2019