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Governance in Science and Technology: Johan Evers

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Social Innovation Exchange

This document provides information about the Governance in Science and Technology Spring School on May 25, 2011 in Amsterdam. It discusses the mission of the Flemish Foundation for Science and Technology Assessment (viWTA) to monitor societal aspects of science and technology and facilitate public debate. The viWTA conducts independent, problem-driven research and participatory activities to advise the Flemish Parliament, using methodologies like citizen conventions, scenario workshops, and focus groups. Major working areas include life sciences, energy/climate, and information society issues.

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4/05/2011 Governance in Science and Technology Citizens engagement for social innovation ? Spring School May 25, 2011 Amsterdam Dr. Johan Evers Project manager SETTING THE STAGE 1
4/05/2011 WHO ARE WE? Mission statement To monitor and investigate the societal aspects of scientific & technological developments. Based on this work, to organise and stimulate the public debat on these societal aspects, thereby involving experts, stakeholders and the broader public. The results of these debates ought to be made of use for the Flemish Parliament (advices, reports, brochures,) 2
4/05/2011 viWTA/IST Historical background End of the 90s dominated by foods scandals in Belgium => Questions in public opinion Debate on GM food in Flemish parliament Five major advisory councils (science, agriculture, health, social economical, environment) demanded public debate, whilst admitting scientific uncertainty This originated the birth of Flemish Foundation for Science and Technology Assessment (viWTA) Daily practices IST = Parliamentary TA institution Board of Directors 8 Members of Flemish Parliament (delivers chairman) 8 scientific experts (Advisory Councils on Science, Economy, Environment and Health) Scientific Secretariat (6) Director & Secretary 4 project managers / researchers 1 research assistant 1 communication & coordination officer 3
4/05/2011 Daily practices Yearly programme Selection procedure Trends & weak signals Research and contacts of project managers Approved by Board of Directors (IST) Projects can be commissioned by the parliament in the context of Support Research and substantial support Hearings, workshops and seminars Informative notes Elucidations Participatory activities Technology assessment Technology assessment is a scientific, interactive and communicative process which aims to contribute to the formation of public and political opinion on societal aspects of science and technology (Decker & Ladikas, 2004) Forecasting developments Assessing mutual impact Product Process 4
4/05/2011 Technology assessment in the context of policy making IST OTA EPTA -members Catalonia (Spain) Flanders (Belgium) Finland France EPTA-associates: Germany Greece Austria Italy Council of Europe Netherlands Poland Norway USA Sweden Switzerland United Kingdom Parliamentary Technology Assessment (PTA) Need for independent and Specific policy societal assessments context: informing & of S&T in decision- advising parliaments Normative making dimension Parliament as Cognitive Pragmatic 'chambres de Specific research context dimension dimension r辿flexion' TA Problem-driven multidisciplinary research Specific approach: strongly participative Practical attitude 5
4/05/2011 Some guiding principles in PTA Client-oriented Problem-driven rather than technology driven Constructive logic rather than acceptance logic Prospective and anticipatory rather than evaluative (ex ante rather than ex post or ex durante) Participatory TA Information Consultation Why public participation? To articulate societal preferences Active participation To make societal interests explicit 6
4/05/2011 What do we do? 2002 2011 2009 2009 GMO Food in Impact of noise Smart grid Biofuels Flanders pollution 2009 2011 2004 2010 World Wide Views ICT, always a good ICT and Elderly Digital exclusion on climate change idea? 2005 2011 2010 Meetings of Minds 2009 Climate adaptation: Fertility: beyond the the future of brain CIVISTI the challenges for technology sciences Flanders 2007 2008 2010 2011 Poverty and Flemish energy Intelligent transport Gender and Technology system 2050 systems technology 2008 2010 2011 2008 Road traffic and Awards and ICT Smartly Youth and gaming health festival underground 7
4/05/2011 Working areas of IST Life sciences Methodology Environment Energy and Information climate society Cornerstones of IST Science and technology, decision-making and evolution of society Independent Assessment, research, public recommendation debate and lucid and dialogue communication Information, consultation and participation 8
4/05/2011 Methodologies Theatre plays Focus groups Technology festival Awards Delphi methodology Scenario workshops Lectures Expositions Citizens Convention/ Town hall meeting Consensus conference Didactical packages for scholars Participation toolkit Genetically modified food Suppoting the societal debate Supporting the dialogue between stakeholders Retrospective International trend study symposium Public forum Stakeholders Media debate forum Advise Flemish Parliament Better decision making 9
4/05/2011 Digital exclusion mechanisms ICT and elderly(2005) & Technology and poverty(2006) Challenge to creativity: design of participatory part of the project Combination of literature study, interviews, Delphi studies, scenarios, theatre plays, group discussions Policy recommendations to the parliament 2010 : Analysis of digital exclusion in Flanders & Technology festival E-dinges Policy recommendations to the parliament Technology festivals: Nano Now and E-dinges Expert opinion research on nanotech Survey and brainstorm on digital in Flanders exclusion in Flanders Brochure in newspaper Recommendations on digital inclusion Didactical package distributed in EOS ICT special schools 3 day activity 3 day activity E-dinges Awards: movie clips and Lectures/discussions/theatre/expositi ons awards Interactivity and diversity Workshops for professionals Public day Information and discussion Infotainment and debate 3400 persons present Resolution in parliament on 600 persons present nanotechnology Results presented in parliamentary committees 10
4/05/2011 Foresight: The Road to Anoroso A vision of the Flemish energy system 2050 was developed in an interaction between citizens and experts Experts: their knowledge Informed citizens with open and broad perspectives, their values and preferences complementary producers of useful knowledge for policy makers Definition phase Three future scenarios one selected Backcasting with experts policy recommendations on timeline Conference day 13 December 2008 11
4/05/2011 Citizens convention Meeting of Minds European Citizens Deliberation on Brain Sciences (2005-2006) Organised by King Baudouin Foundations Results presented in European Parliament The car and our health Public Convention in Flemish Parliament (May 2008) Extensive evaluation Presentation in Environment Committee & Governance Committee Same method, same rigorous process and quality control CITIZENS PARTICIPATION AND GOVERNANCE: SOME CONSIDERATIONS 12
4/05/2011 TA & Governance? Governance means making systematic use of the richness of societal diversity, (re)order it, and define its boundaries in iterative governing interactions. (Kooiman, 2003: 196) TA aims to produce better technology in a better society, and emphasises the early involvement of a broad array of actors to facilitate social learning about technology and potential impacts. Genus, 2006: 13) Common goal: increase the democratic quality of decision-making on science and technology through participatory procedures Resistance to public participation Validity of knowledge not scientific status of lay knowledge? not representative how to select citizens? Primacy of politics representative versus deliberative democracy Cost-benefit time consuming (social) return on investment impact? 13
4/05/2011 Evaluation criteria for public participation in innovation governance? Inclusiveness Comprehensiveness Fairness/respect Social learning Consensual Balancing consensus Legitimacy Process design decision-making and dissensus Challenges for PTA cooperation Create a learning space for mutual learning Inspire and be inspired by other policy tools Foresight Evaluation Science communication Promote a role for PTA in innovation policy 14
4/05/2011 THANK YOU! www.samenlevingentechnologie.be Johan.Evers@vlaamsparlement.be 15

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Governance in Science and Technology: Johan Evers

  • 1. 4/05/2011 Governance in Science and Technology Citizens engagement for social innovation ? Spring School May 25, 2011 Amsterdam Dr. Johan Evers Project manager SETTING THE STAGE 1
  • 2. 4/05/2011 WHO ARE WE? Mission statement To monitor and investigate the societal aspects of scientific & technological developments. Based on this work, to organise and stimulate the public debat on these societal aspects, thereby involving experts, stakeholders and the broader public. The results of these debates ought to be made of use for the Flemish Parliament (advices, reports, brochures,) 2
  • 3. 4/05/2011 viWTA/IST Historical background End of the 90s dominated by foods scandals in Belgium => Questions in public opinion Debate on GM food in Flemish parliament Five major advisory councils (science, agriculture, health, social economical, environment) demanded public debate, whilst admitting scientific uncertainty This originated the birth of Flemish Foundation for Science and Technology Assessment (viWTA) Daily practices IST = Parliamentary TA institution Board of Directors 8 Members of Flemish Parliament (delivers chairman) 8 scientific experts (Advisory Councils on Science, Economy, Environment and Health) Scientific Secretariat (6) Director & Secretary 4 project managers / researchers 1 research assistant 1 communication & coordination officer 3
  • 4. 4/05/2011 Daily practices Yearly programme Selection procedure Trends & weak signals Research and contacts of project managers Approved by Board of Directors (IST) Projects can be commissioned by the parliament in the context of Support Research and substantial support Hearings, workshops and seminars Informative notes Elucidations Participatory activities Technology assessment Technology assessment is a scientific, interactive and communicative process which aims to contribute to the formation of public and political opinion on societal aspects of science and technology (Decker & Ladikas, 2004) Forecasting developments Assessing mutual impact Product Process 4
  • 5. 4/05/2011 Technology assessment in the context of policy making IST OTA EPTA -members Catalonia (Spain) Flanders (Belgium) Finland France EPTA-associates: Germany Greece Austria Italy Council of Europe Netherlands Poland Norway USA Sweden Switzerland United Kingdom Parliamentary Technology Assessment (PTA) Need for independent and Specific policy societal assessments context: informing & of S&T in decision- advising parliaments Normative making dimension Parliament as Cognitive Pragmatic 'chambres de Specific research context dimension dimension r辿flexion' TA Problem-driven multidisciplinary research Specific approach: strongly participative Practical attitude 5
  • 6. 4/05/2011 Some guiding principles in PTA Client-oriented Problem-driven rather than technology driven Constructive logic rather than acceptance logic Prospective and anticipatory rather than evaluative (ex ante rather than ex post or ex durante) Participatory TA Information Consultation Why public participation? To articulate societal preferences Active participation To make societal interests explicit 6
  • 7. 4/05/2011 What do we do? 2002 2011 2009 2009 GMO Food in Impact of noise Smart grid Biofuels Flanders pollution 2009 2011 2004 2010 World Wide Views ICT, always a good ICT and Elderly Digital exclusion on climate change idea? 2005 2011 2010 Meetings of Minds 2009 Climate adaptation: Fertility: beyond the the future of brain CIVISTI the challenges for technology sciences Flanders 2007 2008 2010 2011 Poverty and Flemish energy Intelligent transport Gender and Technology system 2050 systems technology 2008 2010 2011 2008 Road traffic and Awards and ICT Smartly Youth and gaming health festival underground 7
  • 8. 4/05/2011 Working areas of IST Life sciences Methodology Environment Energy and Information climate society Cornerstones of IST Science and technology, decision-making and evolution of society Independent Assessment, research, public recommendation debate and lucid and dialogue communication Information, consultation and participation 8
  • 9. 4/05/2011 Methodologies Theatre plays Focus groups Technology festival Awards Delphi methodology Scenario workshops Lectures Expositions Citizens Convention/ Town hall meeting Consensus conference Didactical packages for scholars Participation toolkit Genetically modified food Suppoting the societal debate Supporting the dialogue between stakeholders Retrospective International trend study symposium Public forum Stakeholders Media debate forum Advise Flemish Parliament Better decision making 9
  • 10. 4/05/2011 Digital exclusion mechanisms ICT and elderly(2005) & Technology and poverty(2006) Challenge to creativity: design of participatory part of the project Combination of literature study, interviews, Delphi studies, scenarios, theatre plays, group discussions Policy recommendations to the parliament 2010 : Analysis of digital exclusion in Flanders & Technology festival E-dinges Policy recommendations to the parliament Technology festivals: Nano Now and E-dinges Expert opinion research on nanotech Survey and brainstorm on digital in Flanders exclusion in Flanders Brochure in newspaper Recommendations on digital inclusion Didactical package distributed in EOS ICT special schools 3 day activity 3 day activity E-dinges Awards: movie clips and Lectures/discussions/theatre/expositi ons awards Interactivity and diversity Workshops for professionals Public day Information and discussion Infotainment and debate 3400 persons present Resolution in parliament on 600 persons present nanotechnology Results presented in parliamentary committees 10
  • 11. 4/05/2011 Foresight: The Road to Anoroso A vision of the Flemish energy system 2050 was developed in an interaction between citizens and experts Experts: their knowledge Informed citizens with open and broad perspectives, their values and preferences complementary producers of useful knowledge for policy makers Definition phase Three future scenarios one selected Backcasting with experts policy recommendations on timeline Conference day 13 December 2008 11
  • 12. 4/05/2011 Citizens convention Meeting of Minds European Citizens Deliberation on Brain Sciences (2005-2006) Organised by King Baudouin Foundations Results presented in European Parliament The car and our health Public Convention in Flemish Parliament (May 2008) Extensive evaluation Presentation in Environment Committee & Governance Committee Same method, same rigorous process and quality control CITIZENS PARTICIPATION AND GOVERNANCE: SOME CONSIDERATIONS 12
  • 13. 4/05/2011 TA & Governance? Governance means making systematic use of the richness of societal diversity, (re)order it, and define its boundaries in iterative governing interactions. (Kooiman, 2003: 196) TA aims to produce better technology in a better society, and emphasises the early involvement of a broad array of actors to facilitate social learning about technology and potential impacts. Genus, 2006: 13) Common goal: increase the democratic quality of decision-making on science and technology through participatory procedures Resistance to public participation Validity of knowledge not scientific status of lay knowledge? not representative how to select citizens? Primacy of politics representative versus deliberative democracy Cost-benefit time consuming (social) return on investment impact? 13
  • 14. 4/05/2011 Evaluation criteria for public participation in innovation governance? Inclusiveness Comprehensiveness Fairness/respect Social learning Consensual Balancing consensus Legitimacy Process design decision-making and dissensus Challenges for PTA cooperation Create a learning space for mutual learning Inspire and be inspired by other policy tools Foresight Evaluation Science communication Promote a role for PTA in innovation policy 14
  • 15. 4/05/2011 THANK YOU! www.samenlevingentechnologie.be Johan.Evers@vlaamsparlement.be 15