Bringing Scientific Research to the
Public in Horizon 2020
Sofoklis A. Sotiriou
Ellinogermaniki Agogi
Greece
Openness to Innovation
“To ensure that innovation fully contributes to our smart, sustainable
and inclusive growth, we must communicate more and better on new
scientific developments and new technologies, on their benefits for
the society and also on their risks.
A good public understanding of such complex issues is key to dismiss
possible misperception and anxiety, and to guarantee social
acceptance of innovation and indeed more than acceptance: openness
to innovation.“
José Manuel Durão Barroso
President of the European Commission on “The Innovation Union”
December 2011
New range of possibilities
HORIZON 2020 offers a wide range of
possibilities for science communicators, local
and regional stakeholders working in
universities, scientific institutions, science
centres, NGOs, cities and regions throughout
Europe. In order to maximise the funding impact
of HORIZON 2020 it will be necessary to support
and create strategic alliances and open
dialogues between researchers, local and
regional policy makers and the public.
Impact driven
The new strategic focus is challenge- and impact-driven,
compared to the topic oriented FP7- predecessor. In this
context the European Commission has identified the need to
create alliances with local and regional stakeholders, policy
makers and the wider public. In addition to scientific
innovation, initiatives will have to meet European policy goals
and foster critical dialogue on scientific, technological and
innovation issues with the public.
This approach leads to a redefined role of communication
and dissemination with a strong focus on the
implementation of research and innovation in European
societies: From “Science in Society” to “Responsible Research
and Innovation”.
Science with and for Society
The ‘Science with and for Society’ programme will be instrumental in addressing the
European societal challenges tackled by Horizon 2020, building capacities and
developing innovative ways of connecting science to society.
It will make science more attractive (notably to young people), increase society's
appetite for innovation, and open up further research and innovation activities.
It allows all societal actors (researchers, citizens, policy makers, business, third sector
organisations etc.) to work together during the whole research and innovation process
in order to better align both the process and its outcomes with the values, needs and
expectations of European society.
This approach to research and innovation is called Responsible Research and
Innovation (RRI).
Responsible Research and Innovation
RRI is an inclusive approach to research and innovation (R&I), to ensure that
societal actors work together during the whole research and innovation
process. It aims to better align both the process and outcomes of R&I, with
the values, needs and expectations of European society. In general terms, RRI
implies anticipating and assessing potential implications and societal
expectations with regard to research and innovation. In practice, RRI consists
of designing and implementing R&I policy that will:
• engage society more broadly in its research and innovation activities,
• increase access to scientific results,
• ensure gender equality, in both the research process and research
content,
• take into account the ethical dimension, and
• promote formal and informal science education.
RRI Eurobarometer 2013
Consistent with findings of earlier Eurobarometer surveys2,
this Eurobarometer confirms that there is no rejection of the
impetus towards innovation: the vast majority of Europeans
have a positive view on science and technology. The 2013 RRI
Eurobarometer shows that 77% of EU citizens agree that
science and technology have a positive impact on society, and
the majority of respondents in each country think this way.
There is however concern about their potential for negative
consequences, and the speed of change they can cause on
our ways of life. Furthermore, more than half of Europeans
believe that when it comes to decisions made about science
and technology, public dialogue is required (55%).
RRI Eurobarometer 2013
The 2013 RRI Eurobarometer furthermore
shows that at least half of all Europeans are
interested in developments in science and
technology (53%), although only 40% say they
feel informed about them. Country level results
illustrate that levels of information about
developments in science and technology are not
uniform, with Eastern and Southern countries
less likely to feel informed.
Some findings
There is a strong positive correlation (r=0.74) between being informed
about developments in science and technology and the level of
innovation performance at national level.
However, there is not a strong correlation between feeling informed
about developments in science and technology and thinking that the
influence of science on society is positive. Societal opinion on science
and innovation is therefore not principally determined by ‘scientific
literacy’.
Other interesting findings are that eight out of ten respondents agree
that the EU should actively promote worldwide respect for European
ethical principles for conducting scientific research. Also, more than
eight out of ten (86%) respondents think it is important that scientific
research takes equal account of the needs of men and women.
• Follow VOICES for Innovation and RRI Tools
Bringing Nobel Prize Winning Physics to
Schools
12
CERN @ school classroom with
HYPATIA
What is expected?
Project evaluators will expect creative
multidisciplinary networks, actively involving
stakeholders from different fields and disciplines including the humanities, social sciences and policymakers in cities and regions. To achieve a deeper
understanding of science and innovation as
motors of an innovative, sustainable and inclusive
Europe, science communicators, stakeholders and
policy makers in cities and regions will have a key
role to play!
RRI Framework
RRI means that societal actors work together during the whole research and
innovation process in order to better align both the process and its outcomes,
with the values, needs and expectations of European society. The Commission
envisages 6 key issues in that RRI-framework:
1. Engagement
2. Unlock the full potential of learners
3. Creative Learning
4. Sharing results
5. Doing the right ‘thing’ and doing it right
6. Designing science for and with society
Keywords: critical thinking, social benefit, ethical aspects of
science, active and engaged citizens, stakeholders as codesigners
Innovative ways to make science education and
STEM careers attractive to young people
Expected impact: In the short term, the action will coordinate and leverage Member
activities
to innovativeinapproaches
in the
field of science
education
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adhering
towith
the respect
values embedded
Responsible
Research
and Innovation
scientific careers.
In the medium
term, theresources;
action will position
research media;
teams
•andKeywords:
open-access
educational
use ofEUscience
on the map as leaders in innovative science education methods and meeting Europe's
creativity and science; gender balance in research; practical value of
targets regarding R&D intensity and competiveness. It will increase the number of
researchand
ethics
and integrity
researchers
innovators,
including women, in the public sector and in industry who
•will Link
with
be able
to SCIENTIX
better address societal challenge. As a result, in the long term, the
will contribute
towards
Europe 2020
education
targetinstitutions,
•action
Partners:
different
levelsachieving
of the the
education
system,
research
by improving
STEMSociety
skills among
young people – less than 15% of pupils underindustry, Civil
Organisations
performing by 2020 – and increasing the range of innovative products that reflect
societal needs.
Type of actions: Research and Innovation Actions;
Coordination and Support Actions
Requested EU contr.: between EUR 1 and 1.8 mill
Deadline for submission: 02/10/2014
Innovative approach to communication
encouraging girls to study science
• awareness raising activities (workshops, seminars, hands-on activities,
etc.) to be carried out with the contribution of gender experts
• Keywords: role models for 13-18 year-old girls, gender equality in science,
science communication
• Partners: schools, science museums; research centres, regional/national
authorities
Type of actions: Coordination and Support Actions
Requested EU contr.: between EUR 0.6 and 0.9 mill
Deadline for submission: 02/10/2014
Pan-European public outreach: exhibitions and
science cafés engaging citizens in science
• public outreach exhibitions and participatory events throughout the whole
of Europe to engage citizens in science
• Keyword: science cafés, exhibitions (multimedia, virtual reality, gaming,
etc.), public feedback of exhibits and the outcomes of science cafés
deliberations, training material of RRI Toolkit
• Partners: science museums, HEIs, science shops, scientific centres of
excellence and innovation hubs, cities of scientific culture, but also
grassroot movements, secondary schools, higher education centres, NonGovernmental Organisations (NGOs) and civil society organizations, local
public authorities
Type of actions: Coordination and Support Actions
Requested EU contr.: between EUR 3 and 3.5 mill
Deadline for submission: 02/10/2014
ART@CMS: From Science Learning
through Inquiry to Science Learning
through Creativity
• Grown out of CERN´s participation in the PATHWAY Project, Art@CMS is
an educational and outreach initiative that demonstrates the impact of
developing positive and responsible attitudes among young people
towards particle physics, physics and science through the combined use of
inquiry and creativity in formal but also informal settings. Central
to Art@CMS is the design and implementation of extended learning
activities through which students can experience how big science works
but they can also understand and appreciate the value of scientific work in
large research infrastructures for informing responsible citizenship in a
knowledge-based society. In designing such activities, Art@CMS acts as a
bridge between the scientific community at CMS and CERN, science
educators, and art and creative communities from Europe and beyond for
mobilizing students, especially those with no or little prior interest in
science, to re-visit their approach through collaborative activities that
develop creative thinking, collaborative spirit, and communication skills.
Fostering public outreach by researchers –
identifying expectations and challenges
• empowering researchers to engage with society
• Keywords: EU wide comparative analysis, expectations and challenges of
researchers to participate in public engagement and outreach, role of
other key stakeholders involved in public outreach and dialogue
• Partners: science museums, HEIs, science shops, scientific centres of
excellence and innovation hubs, cities of scientific culture, but also
grassroot movements, secondary schools, higher education centres, NonGovernmental Organisations (NGOs) and civil society organizations, local
public authorities
Type of actions: Public Procurement
Requested EU contr.: EUR 0.85 mill
Deadline for submission: second semester 2014
Information and Communication Technologies
call: Content technologies and information management
•
•
•
ICT 20 – 2015: Technologies for better human learning and teaching
Establishing a technology platform to provide a framework and roadmap for
stakeholders, led by industry in collaboration with academia, to develop innovative
technologies for learning
Support to large scale pilots (in real settings) that develop and integrate innovative
digital educational tools, solutions and services for learning and teaching, and
supporting engagement of teachers, learners and parents.
Type of actions:
Research and Innovation Actions;
Innovation actions
Requested EU contr.:
Proposals requesting a Small contribution are expected from the EU of between EUR 2M
and EUR 4M
Proposals requesting a Large contribution are expected from the EU of between EUR 5M
and EUR 8M
Deadline for submission: expected 21/Apr/2015 (publication date 15/Oct/2014)
SPACE
call: “Competitiveness of the European Space Sector: Technology and Science”
H2020-COMPET-2014
•
•
•
•
COMPET 10 – 2014: Outreach through education
The main delivery of the action should be an initiative capable of attracting the
interest of a significant number of students towards space, while creating at the
same time a relevant impact outside the targeted population in terms of news
coverage, social-media interest, stakeholders’ involvement, etc.
The key advancements of the European space initiatives (Seventh Framework
Programme-H2020 projects, Copernicus and Galileo) should be given a privileged
position in the proposal, but the main objective should remain attracting the
interest of students, mainly European, for space exploration science and
technology. Proposals should take into account similar activities of ESA and
national education programmes. They could focus in the context of the classroom
or outside the normal classroom environment, including contests.
The European Space Agency will not participate in consortia of proposals
submitted under this call for proposals.
Type of actions: Coordination and Support Actions
Requested EU contr.: proposals between EUR 1 and 2 million.
A total of 4 million Euro has been set aside for topics COMPET 10 and COMPET 11.
Deadline for submission: 26/03/2014
Basic Steps
•
•
•
•
•
Summary of the proposal idea (1-2 pages)
Develop the workplan
Select the best partners to make it happen
Distribute the resources in the appropriate way
Connect the objectives and the main tasks – Clear
measurable objectives
• Connect the main tasks with the main project
impacts.
Basic Steps
• Always refer to the call text
• Always refer to the evaluation criteria
Thank you