Taking stock and re-examining the role of science communication

Call Updates:

Jul 22, 2020 9:18:14 AM

Letters informing on the results of the evaluation have been sent to applicants.

An overview of the evaluation results (Flash Call Info) for this topic is now available under the tab 'Topic conditions & documents', in the last section ‘Additional documents’. 

Apr 29, 2020 5:23:40 PM 

Call H2020-SwafS-2018-2020, SwafS-2020-1, has closed on the 23/04/2020.

262 proposals have been submitted.

The breakdown per topic is:

SwafS-19-2018-2019-2020: Taking stock and re-examining the role of science communication: 26 proposals

Mar 18, 2020 8:43:22 AM 

Please note that the deadline for this call has been extended to 23/04/2020.

Dec 20, 2018 4:36:23 PM

A policy briefing recording for this topic is available together with the slides under 'Topic conditions' (section 8. additional documents).

Dec 10, 2019 12:30:19 AM

The submission session is now available for: SwafS-19-2018-2019-2020(RIA)

Taking stock and re-examining the role of science communication

ID: SwafS-19-2018-2019-2020

Type of action:
RIA Research and Innovation action

Deadline Model : single-stage

Planned opening date: 10 December 2019

Deadline: 15 April 2020 17:00:00 Brussels time

Work programme year:
H2020-2018-2020

Call name:
Science with and for Society |

Call ID:
H2020-SwafS-2018-2020

Topic Description
 
Specific Challenge:Science and innovation are undergoing deep and fundamental changes, in particular thanks to digitalisation (e.g. social media and citizen science). Science communication, which is a discipline, an activity conducted by scientists and other R&I stakeholders, and a career path followed by journalists, informs citizens about science and innovation, opens up R&I to society, and empowers citizens to participate in activities and debate.

Two concurrent developments lead to the growing need to ensure the quality and reliability of science communication: firstly, dwindling resources in science journalism lead to reduced critical assessment and reporting of science[1]; secondly, the rapid diffusion of open access publications and science-related news through social media increase opportunities for all citizens and civil society groups to reach large audiences about science-related issues but sometimes without the editorial oversight and fact-checking established in the traditional media.

Scope:This topic aims to better understand how results from research and scientific methodologies are communicated and perceived by citizens (taking into account age, gender, and socio-economic status), develop improved ways to measure and assess science communication, and identify good practices and policy guidelines to increase the accuracy of (and therefore trust in) science communication. It will increase knowledge about science communication at international, EU and member state levels. It will propose innovative ways to open up science and innovation broadly to society by improving the quality and effectiveness of interactions between scientists and other R&I stakeholders, the media and the public. It will examine the teaching of science communication within scientific disciplines and as a dedicated academic discipline. It will also give attention to existing incentive (and disincentive) structures for scientists and other R&I stakeholders to engage in science communication, for instance in terms of career and scientific reputation. Applicants are welcome to propose other innovative ideas in relation to the above specific challenge.

To address this specific challenge, proposals will include a multi-disciplinary team able to explore well defined communication strategies (journalists, science communicators, scientists and other R&I stakeholders, educators, enterprises, economists, civil society/citizens, legal experts, etc.). Specificities related to gender, culture, territorial context and the environment should also be considered.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of the order of EUR 1.20 million would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

Expected Impact:Dissemination of the results should increase the communication of science in terms of quantity and quality, favour the opening of R&I, and the up-take of RRI. It should eventually improve the quality and effectiveness of interactions between scientists, general media and the public.

Cross-cutting Priorities:

RRI
Socio-economic science and humanities
Gender

[1]See for instance https://www.aps.org/publications/apsnews/200904/journalism.cfm