Third Policy-Practice-Interface Conference in Tartu, Estonia

“Global Catalysts: the Potential and Ethics of working with young people” University of Tartu, Estonia 24th – 26th April 2013

Can children's universities and other similar activities bridge the gap between universities and disadvantaged communities? What are the ethical issues, especially when engaging with children and young people?

International delegates attending the SiS Catalyst conference will explore these difficult questions at the University of Tartu, Estonia this week (April 24-26).

Social activist Zack Kopplin and children's rights expert, Laura Lundy, will lead discussions, together with Professor Margit Sutrop, from The University of Tartu's Centre for ethics.

Zack Kopplin is an energetic young American, campaigning against the teaching of creationism and intelligent design in public schools in his home state of Louisiana. He has won the support of many Nobel laureates and has gained a high media profile in the U.S.

Professor Laura Lundy from Queen's University, Belfast, Ireland is an expert on children's rights and the law with a focus on children's rights to participate in decision-making. She is a former equal opportunities commissioner for Northern Ireland.

The University of Tartu's Professor Margit Sutrop is a highly respected researcher into issues of Ethics and a thought-provoking and engaging speaker.

SiS Catalyst is a European-funded initiative to foster mutual engagement between children and social institutions, such as universities, through such things as Science in Society activities. It has special concern with children from communities that have poor links to higher education. It will produce toolkits and guides, including on Ethics, to assist others.

Also participating in the conference will be its 'mentoring associates' - representatives of organisations from different parts of the world working together to strengthen their engagement with children.

The SiS Catalyst Mentoring Associate Programme involves 36 organisations, including universities, networks, science institutions, museums, and NGOs from over 20 countries. Each organisation is paired with another to work together on a key issue of science communication or social inclusion.

For further information about the conference: [e-mail]

For further information about the SiS Catalyst initiative: [e-mail]

Countries

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Spain, Finland, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia, United Kingdom