Executive summary

• Author: Tornasi, Zeno; Delaney, Niamh
• Pages: 4-4

4

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Research and innovation are essential to finding solutions to the pressing challenges we

face. It requires opening up the research and innovation system to the participation and

collective i ntelligence of society, embedding high integrity and ethics standards, raising

interest in science, and supporting Europe’s brightest minds engage in scienti fic careers.

Put simply, Europe can not thrive without ensurin g the best possible match between the

immense potential achievements science has to offer and the needs, values and

aspirations of citizens.

The objective of this report is to convey the achievements of the science education

projects funded under the Science with and for Society (hereinafter referred to as

SwafS) part of Horizon 2020. Its purpose is to serve as input for the preparation of the

Horizon Europe programme implementation.

Overview of SwafS Implementation in Horizon 2020

A budget of EUR 462 million was earmarked for Swa fS in Horizon 2020. Close to 2,000

proposals submitted in response to the annual calls for proposals, conveys strong

interest in SwafS matters.

The annual evaluations are deemed to be highly robust. So far, they resulted in 150

funded projects and close to 50 more projects are expected to stem from the fi nal calls

under Horizon 2020. Since the start of this Fram ework Programme, REA Unit B.5

manages the projects. SwafS projects are typically composed o f large consortia wit h an

average of 11 partners and tend to run for around 3 years.

Science education

Creative and innovative science teaching and learning help young people make the best

use of their capacities to become a force of innovation. The main goals of science

education include boosting the participation rates of young people in STEM 1 with a view

to encouraging long-term careers in these fields. More broadly speaki ng, science

education seeks to equip citizens with the skills required to partake actively i n science.

Science education projects produced a range of ready-to-use material for students

(online lessons, an online encyclopaedia and a range of apps) and teachers (repositories

and tool-kits encompassing practical tips to support their teachi ng). With schools at the

heart of science education, a number of projects are devel oping an open schooling model

to facilitate outreach to the local community.

The European Union Contest for Young Sci entists (EUCYS) is the flagship competition for

science education and has proven to be an excellent way to engage and showcase the

work of students and young scientists.

Scientix, the community for science education in Europe, promotes and supports a

European-wide collaboration among STEM educati on professionals. Looking to the future,

Scientix is well placed to facilitate expl oitation of the vast array of material produced an d

ensure project outcomes are fully harvested.

1 Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics