UGS's commitment to ethics in scientific research and sustainable development
O compromisso da UGS com a ética em investigação científica e desenvolvimento sustentável
El compromiso de la UGS con la ética en investigación científica y desarrollo sustentable
Today, September 27, 2024, marks a historic and momentous occasion for Gregório Semedo University (UGS), one of Angola’s pioneering private higher education institutions, as we proudly launch our first digital Journal, “Gregório Semedo: Science and Development.”
Allow me first to express my profound gratitude to everyone who, with great dedication and commitment, contributed to bringing to fruition what has been one of the most anticipated initiatives of our university. In particular, I wish to extend my heartfelt appreciation to the esteemed members of the Editorial Board, the Technical Editorial Team, and the Reviewers for the honor, prestige, and dignity they have bestowed upon this Journal.
It is also important to acknowledge, with great respect, the contribution of Prof. Dr. Wilfredo Falcón Urquiaga, Vice-Rector for Scientific Affairs and Acting Rector of UGS, whose timely initiative and decisive involvement were instrumental in making this project a reality.
This launch is even more significant as it coincides with the celebrations of the 20th anniversary of our institution and the 115th birthday of its Patron, Gregório Semedo. We are now reaping the rewards of two decades of effort and achievement, despite numerous challenges and obstacles. These accomplishments are rooted in the values and principles that form the legacy of our Patron, Gregório Semedo – a man of humble beginnings who, with only a fourth-grade education and no material wealth, devoted himself to sharing the most precious resource he had: knowledge and feelings. He recognized early on that education is the primary weapon in the fight against poverty and social exclusion, as it empowers individuals with the autonomy and freedom to shape their own destinies.
Gregório Semedo University has continuously strived to be a leader in higher education in Angola, cultivating the necessary academic, material, and technical conditions to prepare professionals capable of addressing the most pressing and complex challenges of the present and future. Understanding our past allows us to navigate the present, plan for the future, and ensure a sustainable and secure environment for the next generations.
In this regard, the “Gregório Semedo: Science and Development” Journal represents a valuable tool for advancing critical, innovative, and entrepreneurial thinking. It reflects UGS’s unwavering commitment to providing high-quality education, where scientific research plays a central role.
With the launch of this digital Journal, our primary objective is to promote and foster academic, scientific, and technological research across a wide range of disciplines, with particular emphasis on those represented within our four faculties:
FACULTY OF LAW AND POLITICAL SCIENCES
1. Law;
2. Legislation;
3. State Justice and Alternative Dispute Resolution;
4. Public Policies, Local Government, and Good Governance;
5. Environmental Conservation, Biodiversity, and Sustainable Development;
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES
1. Science and Technological Innovation;
2. Computer Engineering;
3. Management Informatics;
4. Internet and Digital Communication;
5. Cybersecurity and Data Management;
6. Innovation, Artificial Intelligence;
FACULTY OF ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS SCIENCES
1. Economic Sciences;
2. Business Organization and Management;
3. Finance, Financial Markets, and Capital Markets;
4. Foreign Investment and International Competitiveness;
FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
1. Society and the Human Being;
2. Strategic Human Capital Management;
3. Psychology and Human Behavior;
4. Pedagogy, Didactics, and Innovative Teaching-Learning Methodologies;
5. New Educational Technologies;
6. Talent Development;
7. Consumer Protection and Promotion of a Work Culture.
Our Journal will serve not only as a platform for the dissemination of research but also as a beacon of intellectual rigor and truth. It will meet the growing demands of individuals, companies, institutions, and society at large by fostering inclusive and constructive dialogue on relevant scientific and developmental issues. We aim to engage a wide range of actors, including researchers, educators, students, entrepreneurs, and business associations, both nationally and internationally.
In line with the principles of Open Science, “Gregório Semedo: Science and Development” positions itself as an accessible platform for all those who wish to contribute to an autonomous network of critical reflection and publication on academic, pedagogical, technical, scientific, cultural, and social topics. Our goal is to advance the sharing of knowledge and, consequently, the holistic development of global society.
At this point, it is essential to outline our philosophical and ethical position regarding the fundamental objectives of this Journal. Throughout history, science has been a cornerstone of human progress, enhancing the quality and standard of living. However, it is also crucial to acknowledge that, at times, scientific advancements have been misused, posing risks to societal development and humanity itself.
Therefore, ethics must be integral to all our research and dissemination activities. It is our responsibility to ensure that scientific knowledge is applied in ways that preserve human dignity, social justice, and biodiversity, thus safeguarding the sustainable progress of humanity. Science, development, and ethics must be inextricably linked, for there can be no genuine development without ethical grounding.
On this proud occasion, I wish to reiterate my sincerest thanks to all those involved, directly or indirectly, in the conception and realization of this milestone—the first digital Journal of Gregório Semedo University. I invite all of you to join us in celebrating the launch of “UGS: Science and Development” and look forward to many future successes.
Thank you.
José António Lopes Semedo.
Founder and Grand Chancellor of Gregório Semedo University
https://orcid.org/0009-0001-2225-4269
jalsemedo@yahoo.com.br
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License