Success stories and challenges of public engagement are described in a new report from the European Commission’s Mutual Learning Exercise (MLE) on Public Engagement in Research and Innovation (R&I). EUSEA is involved through our previous president Cissi Askwall, who chairs the MLE, and our treasurer Maria Hagardt, who is one of the Swedish representatives.
"To be part of the MLE is well in line with EUSEA’s aim to advance public engagement and to contribute to more inclusive R&I processes,”
says Cissi Askwall.
The MLE on public engagement is one of several MLE’s, which are all part of the Horizon Europe Framework Programme. All MLE’s aim to foster collaboration, knowledge exchange and policy development in Europe. Participating country representatives, independent experts, and the European Commission services work together, using co-creative approaches including study visits.
The new report on “Successes and Challenges of Public Engagement” provides methods, tools, and guidance to overcome challenges and foster the sustainable impact of public engagement. It is the result of a collaborative dialogue between country representatives and a literature review. The aim is to serve as a guide for governments to promote and conduct successful public engagement.
The MLE runs from January 2024 until early 2025. Eight countries are participating: Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, and Sweden.
“The exercise will result in policy recommendations, and hopefully also to a strengthened European public engagement community, and insights to inform and inspire the next EU Research Framework Programme,”
Explains Cissi Askwall.
The MLE has previously published a report giving an overview of how to engage the public in research and innovation. It explores EU policies, resources, and projects to inspire public actors and policymakers to promote public engagement.
Two more thematic reports on public engagement related to framework conditions and the European Research Area will be published in late 2024 and early 2025, followed by a final report with MLE conclusions and suggestions in the spring of 2025.
The developments of the MLE on Public Engagement and the published reports can be found at europa.eu/!dXcY4X
