NewHoRRIzon should assist stakeholder groups in research and innovation (R&I) to mainstream responsible research and innovation (RRI). RRI has been designed to enhance inclusive and democratic modes of conducting R&I to reflect the values of European society. NewHoRRIzon has mobilized hundreds of stakeholders in joint experimentation with and for modes of doing R&I. The project published high level scientific papers, policy briefings, booklets, and best practices, created a useful thinking tool for and a network of practitioners to reach its target.
Sharing responsibility: what is NewHoRRIzon about?
R&I have benefited our societies in numerous ways. Yet, scientific and technological developments have as well undesirable and/or unsustainable impact and/or give cause for public controversies. Thus, we need to find ways to better leverage R&I to address societal challenges without creating problems for current and future generations.
Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI)
One way forward is to share responsibility and create a more democratic, inclusive, and open culture for R&I so that science and technology opportunities can be better realized with and for society. RRI activities try to provide new ways to think about and respond to these new opportunities. In practice, this means drawing on more diverse and inclusive ways of understanding and addressing problems, sharing knowledge, and empowering people to learn and work together. The aspiration of RRI is to contribute to excellent science and innovation for socially desirable, economically vibrant, and sustainable societies.
What has RRI achieved so far?
RRI builds on different academic traditions. One major achievement in the development of RRI was the inclusion of the six keys' approach to RRI (Public Engagement, Gender Equality, Science Education, Open Access, Ethics, Governance) in Horizon 2020. Furthermore, national R&I funders in some countries are pioneering efforts to sustain inclusive, open, reflective, and responsive R&I communities.
What is the ambition of NewHoRRIzon?
NewHoRRIzon sought to promote a strong integration of RRI into European and national R&I funding. Its objectives were to:
• Call together different stakeholders in R&I in 19 Social Labs for each part of Horizon 2020 to co-create social experiments that foster the uptake of RRI.
• Develop narratives and storylines on how to implement RRI; provide recommendations on how to better integrate RRI in- to the next European Framework Programme and beyond.
• Raise awareness, mainstream best practices, and share NewHoRRIzon results.
• Develop and disseminate a concept of Societal Readiness Thinking Tool (SRTT) of technology; and
• Create a sustainable RRI Network and RRI Ambassador Programme.
19 Social Labs
To achieve its objectives NewHoRRIzon started with a Visioning Conference in 2017. Thereafter, the project organized 19 Social Labs all around Europe — one for each programme line of Horizon 2020. Social Labs bring together people with shared interests in solving complex problems related to technology and society. Inviting people with a range of expertise from across society, the labs were creative, engaging spaces for collaborative experimentation.
What and when?
The Social Labs built on impulses from the Visioning Conference and a diagnosis of the current state of RRI in all parts of Horizon 2020. Each Social Lab hosted three workshops and a series of smaller additional activities and meeting formats. Participants co-created, prototyped and tested 59 pilot actions and activities to support RRI in their field. Selected participants of each Social Lab were invited to a cross-sectional exchange workshop.
