The cross-cutting specific objective ‘Science With and for Society’ (SWaFS) of Horizon 2020 (Part V of Horizon 2020) is key to developing innovative ways of connecting science to society.
The general goal of ‘Science with and for Society’ is: “to build effective cooperation between science and society, to recruit new talent for science, and to pair scientific excellence with social awareness and responsibility.”
Horizon 2020 (source: European Commission)
One of the most important actions of SWaFS is ‘Integrating Society into Science and Innovation – ISSI’, directed at increasing social acceptability and sustainability of research outcomes in different fields by incorporating citizens’ needs, values and suggestions about priorities in scientific research and innovation.
Indirectly, the action ISSI is also an instrument for enhancing the citizenship’s involvement in the decision making process concerning R&TD policies, by making objectives and public actions directed at promoting scientific and technological progress more understandable for ordinary citizens.
Actually, the action ISSI within the Part V of Horizon 2020 Work Programme 2014-2015 hinges on the key principle of financing innovative projects aimed at engaging the ordinary people more broadly when designing R&I policies implemented through public finance.
Against this background, the following calls for proposals, covering “integrating society in science and innovation” issues, are due to be published in April 2015:
• ISSI-1-2015: Pan-European public outreach: exhibitions and science cafés engaging citizens in science
• ISSI-3-2015: Knowledge Sharing Platform
• ISSI-4-2015: On-line mechanisms for knowledge-based policy advice
• ISSI-5-2015: Supporting structural change in research organisations to promote Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI).
For more information, please click on the link below:
http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/calls/h2020-issi-2015-1.html