The UC3M participates in the summer school on participatory research in the framework of the European project SciShops. The first summer school of the European project “SciShops.eu” was held in Castelldefels (Spain) from 16 to 20 July at the headquarters of the Polytechnic University of Barcelona (UPC), attended by 34 partners from different countries. Among the participants are members of the UC3M team led by Professor and director of the INAECU Institute, Elías Sanz-Casado.
The project, entitled “Enhancing the Responsible and Sustainable Expansion of the Science Shops Ecosystem in Europe” is from the call Swafs-01-2016 from the Horizon 2020 programme and involves 18 institutions from 13 countries. The main objective of the project is to analyze the existing Science shops, detect the strengths and limitations and promote the creation of 10 new science shops in the participating institutions, including the UC3M.
The Science shops were founded in the Netherlands in the late 1970s with the aim of bringing the university closer to society and helping to solve real problems. Thus, based on a concrete need expressed by citizens, researchers and students work to offer an effective solution. The whole process includes the participation of the different actors involved (academics, neighbourhood associations, NGOs, the private sector, local authorities, etc.) and permanent interaction to achieve a consensual solution.
The implementation of the first summer school allowed for the discussion and identification of good practices in the creation of science shops, the analysis of appropriate participatory methodologies for their implementation and the preparation of a roadmap for the incorporation of RRI-related aspects in the implementation of these units.
More information about the project can be found here.
Photo: members of SciShops
