A structuring project for the future of bioethics in the French-speaking world

Spearheaded by Nantes Université and supported by AUF's IntenSciF - Western Europe program, the ProFIB project (International Partnership for the Promotion of Bioethics in the French-speaking World) came to a close in spring 2025 after 18 months of activity, laying the foundations for a French-speaking network of bioethics experts, now ready to work towards an inclusive and collaborative approach to this discipline on an international scale.

The aim of the ProFIB project was to strengthen the collaboration, visibility and impact of bioethics in French-speaking countries. It had a dual objective: to unite French-speaking bioethics players and to promote an innovative, open approach to the discipline, at the crossroads of research, training and public policy.

From consultation to structuring a French-speaking network

The project began with a wide-ranging consultation of stakeholders from several French-speaking countries between March and July 2024.
This survey, which gathered 171 contributions, identified the needs, priorities and challenges faced by local bioethics communities.

Based on these results, the partners submitted a scientific paper, defined a common mission for the future Réseau francophone de bioéthique (RFIB) and set up inclusive and transparent governance mechanisms, marking a decisive step towards its institutionalization.

Now structured, RFIB is positioned as a platform for exchange, collaborative research and knowledge transfer. It aims to encourage the emergence of interdisciplinary projects, to promote the work produced in the French-speaking world, and to strengthen the consideration of ethical issues in public policy, healthcare practices and social debates.

Towards sustainability on a European and international scale

The project culminated in the submission of a proposal within the framework of Erasmus+ Key Action 2 - Capacity Building in Higher Education, to which theAUF Western Europe was associated as a beneficiary partner.
With this proposal having been selected, the partners confirm their desire to place the network in a sustainable European and international dynamic, thus guaranteeing the continuity and expansion of the work undertaken during this first phase.

Source: www.auf.org