13 COLLEGIALITY Collegiality represents a fundamental principle of operation in academic environments, based on cooperation between peers in decision-making, evaluation, and university governance. Collegiality implies mutual respect, attentiveness to divergent opinions, the recognition of each person’s competence, and shared decisionmaking in a democratic and responsible spirit. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST A relationship of interest refers to any direct or indirect relationship, be it personal, professional, financial, scientific or ideological, that an individual has with an organization, company, person or cause. Such relationship is not inherently problematic or illegitimate in and of itself, but must be declared if relevant within a given context (research, teaching, evaluation, recruitment, etc.). There is a conflict of interest when a relationship of interest compromises or could reasonably be deemed to compromise the objectivity, impartiality or integrity of a decision, judgment or professional act. It can be actual, potential or apparent. It must be reported and managed in a transparent manner. DISCRIMINATION Discrimination consists in unjustifiably treating persons or groups of persons differently on the basis of criteria that Belgian law designates as “protected,” also called “protected characteristics.” A person who is discriminated against is treated less favorably than others in a comparable situation, without valid reason. Discrimination can be direct or indirect. In Belgium, discrimination is prohibited in the spheres of social life to which the legislation applies, such as employment, supply of goods and services, healthcare, education, and housing. The Anti-Racism Law of July 30, 1981, concerns protected characteristics designated as “racial” (such as nationality, race, skin color, ancestry, and national or ethnic origin). The AntiDiscrimination Law of May 10, 2007, concerns protected characteristics other than “racial” (such as age, sexual orientation, civil status, birth, wealth, philosophical, religious or political beliefs, trade union convictions, health condition, disability, physical or genetic characteristics, social background, and language). The Gender Law of May 10, 2007, for its part, concerns protected characteristics specifically relating to gender (such as sex, pregnancy, medically-assisted procreation, childbirth, breastfeeding, maternity, family responsibilities, gender identity, gender expression, sexual characteristics, and medical or social transition). It should be noted that the protected criteria defined by law are characteristics that may or may not result from personal choice. Discrimination, punishable by law, is one of the forms of social stigma, which includes the set of negative attitudes, beliefs, judgments or behaviors toward a person or social group, due to certain real or assumed characteristics, which lead to their rejection and social exclusion. (Source: Unia) DUAL-USE GOODS AND TECHNOLOGIES It is possible that the goods and technologies developed in the context of research conducted at the University may qualify as “dual-use” goods and technologies, that is, as ones intended for civil applications but that could be diverted for hostile purposes (military applications, weapons of mass destruction, human rights violations...), and therefore present a potential risk for the University. These goods and technologies are subject to Dual-Use regulations. ETHICS “Ethics” is the term most frequently used today to refer to both (i) a set of moral principles that guide judgment (good/bad, right/ wrong, acceptable/unacceptable), decision, and action, or (ii) the approach consisting in identifying, formulating or interpreting moral principles in a given field of action or decision-making. In both senses, one may therefore speak, for instance, of medical ethics, animal ethics, research ethics, environmental ethics or of business ethics. Etymologically speaking, the term “ethics” only differs from the term “morality” by its linguistic origin, both terms referring to the idea of ways of living, or mores (ethos in Greek, mores in Latin). This text employs morality in the sense covered by the
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