Researchers Juan José Guardia, vice dean of the Faculty of Law, and Wendy R. Simon, lecturer in the Faculty of Humanities, presented the “Public Administration Ethical Guide to Risk Management” last Wednesday, 24 January, at UIC Barcelona. The document, available on the University’s website, is part of the research project “Ethical conflicts in the management of risks to human health in the face of scientific uncertainty – RiskManagement” and is sponsored by the BBVA Foundation.

The session, given in English for 4th year Advertising and Public Relations students, was proposed as a seminar on knowledge transfer focused on ethics in communication during the management of a health crisis, this being one of the results of the project.

“This guide is presented as an essential tool for decision makers, offering guidance in an environment where ethics and scientific uncertainty converge,” explained Simon. “With this research, the University reaffirms our commitment to interdisciplinary research and the promotion of ethics in public management,” concluded the researcher.

The presentation reflected on the intersection between ethics, communication, law and risk management, thanks to the participation of students. According to the researchers, “this activity was aimed at disseminating the results of the project, with the aim of fostering constructive dialogue with students about how to effectively integrate ethical principles into public policies which affect health and the environment.”

To conclude, the research team highlighted that the contribution of students in this knowledge transfer seminar “has enriched the detailed analysis of the mechanisms involved in decision-making in a context of scientific uncertainty”.

The project was led by Juan José Guardia Hernández as principal investigator and has thoroughly explored public decision-making in situations where science lacks clear consensus. Lecturers Ignasi Belda, Isabel Morales, Belén Zarate, Ignacio Macpherson and Wendy R. Simon participated in the research.

The event was part of the subject Ethics and deontology in advertising and public relations, within the Degree in Advertising and Public Relations of the Faculty of Communication Sciences.