Alexandra Okada, Thursday 25 September 2014

The ENGAGE project meeting and the First Seminar on Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) and Science Education were held in Paris at the “L’espace des Sciences Pierre-Gilles de Gennes” – ESPCI ParisTech from September 22nd to 24th. This European event was organised by Alexandra Okada (OU – KMi) and Matteo Merzagora (TRACES). It brought together over fifty experts in RRI, including Inquiry-based Learning, as well as more than twenty leaders representing more than twenty-five European projects.

The aim of this seminar was to create an opportunity for knowledge exchange among FP7 and H2020 projects and experts that contribute(d) to connecting Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) and Inquiry-Based Science Education (IBSE).

“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.”

Some key aspects identified in the RRI approach are “Engagement,” “Gender Equality,” “Science Education,” “Ethics,” “Open Access,” and “Governance.” Formal and informal education play a crucial role in mainstreaming these approaches in scientific and social practices. By incorporating these areas into teaching practices, we contribute to shaping the vision of science for future generations.

This is why several recent FP7 and H2020 projects, including ENGAGE, have made efforts to develop the links between RRI and Science Education, with a special focus on IBSE.

The event in Paris aimed to identify existing specific expertise in other projects that could be useful for one’s own project, in order to avoid missing connections between people and projects.