Dr Retha Visagie

Dr Retha Visagie is a senior research management professional certified by the International Professional Recognition Council, with over a decade of leadership experience in research ethics and integrity governance across Africa. She serves on the Executive Committee of the African Research Integrity Network (ARIN) and is the chairperson of the EthiXPERT Board.

Retha co-founded and co-chairs the SARIMA Northern Regions Community of Practice for Research Ethics and Integrity and has led major capacity-strengthening initiatives. She co-authored the SARIMA/SANBio SADC Research Ethics Guidelines and Toolkit on the Nagoya Protocol and the Cape Town Statement on Fostering Research Integrity through Fairness and Equity.

Her expertise in ethics education, policy development, and AI-driven research ethics systems has shaped African governance frameworks. Retha, a UNESCO-certified ethics educator, has trained over 7,000 individuals, reinforcing regional and international ethical research practices.