European Programme European Exhibitions and Science Cafés

Call for Proposals

The Call for Proposals ISSI-1-2015 “Pan-European public outreach: exhibitions and science cafés engaging citizens in science” has been published by the European Commission in the framework of the Horizon 2020 Programme.

The specific objective of the current ISSI-1-2015 “Pan-European public outreach: exhibitions and science cafés engaging citizens in science” call for proposals, published by the European Commission in the framework of the Horizon 2020 Programme, is the organisation of public outreach exhibitions and participatory events throughout the whole of Europe to engage citizens in science, drawing on the experience and capacity of science museums, Higher Education Institutions, science shops, scientific centres of excellence and innovation hubs, cities of scientific culture (e.g. building on the Seventh Framework programme PLACES initiative), but also grass root Do It Yourself (DiY) creative re-use communities (like movements, etc.), secondary schools, higher education centres, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and civil society organizations, local public authorities and other relevant stakeholders[1]. The topic will take-up and further develop the information and training material produced by the RRI Toolkit developed by the Seventh Framework Programme project RRI Toolkit.

 

The main scope of the current ISSI-1-2015 “Pan-European public outreach: exhibitions and science cafés engaging citizens in science” call for proposals, published by the European Commission in the framework of the Horizon 2020 Programme, is represented by exhibitions and participatory events which are intended to be interactive and adapted to local/regional conditions (i.e.: use of relevant case-studies). Exhibits shall provide material for dissemination and make use of existing multimedia and other relevant technology (e.g.: social media, virtual reality, scenarios, gaming, etc.) and shall employ inclusive participatory techniques to engage with multiple publics (children, youth, women, adults, and other relevant stakeholders). Alongside the exhibitions, the proposals shall also establish regular 'science cafés' in informal settings, during which emerging science and technology issues and their Responsible Research and Innovation dimension (e.g. debating the pros and cons of shale gas extraction, personalized medicine, energy mix, disaster risk managementetc.) can be debated, engaging citizens and other relevant experts and local actors. Public feedback of exhibits and the outcomes of deliberations shall be collected and analyzed in a structured way, to guide an internal learning process and provide policy support.

 

The expected impact of the current ISSI-1-2015 “Pan-European public outreach: exhibitions and science cafés engaging citizens in science” call for proposals, published by the European Commission in the framework of the Horizon 2020 Programme, is represented by an improvement of public awareness of science. In the medium term, it will build capacity of local science actors and public authorities to engage with citizens on science and innovation, leading to more public engagement activities after the end of the project. Equally, it will directly encourage more citizens, including women, to participate in science. It will encourage user-led and frugal innovation, and mobilize social resources in the knowledge transfer of ideas - from social imagination to practical implementation. In the long term, it will channel to policy makers at different levels external advice and societal inputs regarding appropriate R&I policies (as per Art. 12 and 14 of the H2020 Regulation).

 

The budget earmarked for the co-financing of the total call is €22,000,000.

 

The deadline for submitting proposals in the framework of the current ISSI-1-2015 “Pan-European public outreach: exhibitions and science cafés engaging citizens in science” call for proposals is 16 September 2015.

 

Further information on the current ISSI-1-2015 “Pan-European public outreach: exhibitions and science cafés engaging citizens in science” call for proposals is available on the European Commission’s web site at: http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/2419-issi-1-2015.html.