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Dialogue between researchers, business and society must be strengthened

The needs and wants of society and citizens must be involved in research. Researchers, decision makers, business representatives and research communicators are meeting at the Science in Dialogue conference this week to provide input to a European model for responsible research and innovation.

Who decides the focus of research? How do we strengthen the dialogue between researchers, business and society? Do researchers have greater social responsibility than citizens or do businesses? And what does responsible research and innovation really mean?

These are some of the questions being discussed at the Science in Dialogue conference taking place at the University of Southern Denmark on 23-25 April. The conference is being run in conjunction with the Danish EU Presidency and is focused on the relationship and dialogue between research, innovation and society.

– Europe must brave the crisis and fall on solutions to the great societal challenges. It requires new knowledge and cooperation between researchers and industry. Dialogue is absolutely crucial for us to create excellent research and new growth and employment. Everyone has a responsibility to contribute and I have great expectations for the coming days. I believe the discussions at the conference can be the beginning of a new dialogue about the role of research in society, which has never been more crucial, says Higher Education Minister Morten Østergaard.

Themes discussed at the conference will include:

  • How the needs and wants of society and citizens can be taken into account, when politicians are defining the framework for the focus of research?
  • How can the political decision-making process use research-based knowledge optimally and appropriately?
  • How do we deal with ethical dilemmas, which are often connected to new technologies such as synthetic biology and nanotechnology?
  • How can business involve society to create better and more sustainable products, which can meet the wants and expectations of the consumers?

The conference will provide input to the coming European model for responsible research and innovation which is under development. The conference will also contribute to the creation of a good foundation for responding to the Grand (societal) Challenges as defined in Horizon 2020 – the coming EU framework programme for research and innovation.

The higher education minister opened the conference, which sees participation from international researchers, decision-makers, business representatives and research communicators. In a series of panel debates and workshops, they will discuss how the broadest group of stakeholders can help put its mark on the research agenda.

The full programme is available from the conference website www.scienceindialogue.dk . A significant part of the conference programme will be live-streamed on the website during the conference.

Science in Dialogue - Towards a European Model for Responsible Research and Innovation is arranged by the Higher Education Ministry, the University of Southern Denmark and the DEA think tank. The European Commission is providing financial support to the conference.

For further information please contact:

Press officer Ingeborg Nielsen, tel: +45 2211 0200, or email: imen@fivu.dk .

Project manager Karin Ilsøth Rasmussen, Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation, tel: +45 7231 8213, (m) +45 4115 1224, e-mail: kra@fi.dk .