Project description
Citizen engagement for successful digital innovation
Digital innovation is vital for the EU’s goals through 2027, but 42 % of citizens lack basic digital skills, and there is a shortage of ICT specialists. The public acceptance of innovation hinges on people’s trust in science and understanding of new technologies. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the DiFuSE project will clarify digital research and innovation while encouraging citizen engagement across diverse digital sciences, including intersectoral and interdisciplinary aspects. It will feature European Researchers’ Nights, school activities, and partnerships with NGOs and community spaces. These initiatives connect citizens with the applied mathematics and digital sciences ecosystem, promoting engagement in line with the Horizon Europe Strategic Plan 2025-2027.
Objective
Digital innovation is essential for modern life and underpins EU policy objectives. The EU’s strategic orientation through 2027 emphasises the role of digital sciences in driving innovation for a healthier, more resilient, competitive, green, and inclusive Europe. Having a qualified workforce is necessary to produce innovation, yet 42% of European citizens do not have basic digital skills and Europe lacks skilled ICT specialists. Successful innovation also only leads to societal progress if it is met with social acceptance, which relies on trust in science in general, and on understanding or familiarity with the new technologies. This is an acute societal challenge that requires tackling, so as to improve citizens’ level of understanding of the novel tools and processes. In the digital sciences domain, this means understanding the links with research in applied mathematics underlying the proposed innovations. In order to improve the situation, science communication and engagement with the public is necessary.
In response, the overarching objective of DiFuSE is to demystify digital research and innovation and encourage researchers to better engage citizens with digital sciences in all their diversity (intersectoral, interdisciplinary, including social aspects). DiFuSE aims to achieve this overarching objective by proposing activities: (i) European Researchers Nights, (ii) activities in schools and (iii) sustainable activities with NGOs and local third spaces. These will draw connections between citizens and the ecosystem of research and innovation in applied mathematics and digital sciences; and will result in an increased engagement of citizens with societal questions associated to digital sciences, as suggested in the Horizon Europe Strategic Plan 2025-2027. Inria, the project coordinator, is well equipped to tackle this challenge, being the French national research institute for digital sciences.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-CSA - HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-CITIZENS-01
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
78153 Le Chesnay Cedex
France
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.