Leiden2022 Model embraced by the European Commission
Leiden2022 is the very first European City of Science to present a year-long program aimed at connecting science and society, which is the start of a new European tradition. Next to the start of this programme, Leiden2022 created an advanced, and practice-based model for Public Engagement with Science. Leiden2022 made a position paper to promote their ideas, and the model they used: the Leiden2022 Model for Public Engagement with Science. The European Commission has embraded this model, and will include it in the ERA (European Research Area) Policy Agenda 2022-2024.
"We received many compliments about how we organised Leiden, European City of Science by ERA members from all EU Member States" said Lucien Geelhoed, Intendant & Chied Editor of Leiden2022.
Model Leiden2022
Cities get the title European City of Science when they win the bid for the ESOF Conference. Instead of focussing solely on the conference, Leiden2022 choose to host a 365-day festival, in which all kinds of activities were organized, aimed at strenghtening the bond between science and society. These citizen-led, bottom-up, co-created programs formed the basis for the festival.
Even though most activities were organized on a local scale, Leiden2022 pushed national agendas on Public Engagement with Science, and developed concepts on a European Scale, such as the EU TalentOn.
To make these activities a success, Leiden2022 played by three rules:
- Be Curious: every new connection starts with curiosity. People were encouraged to think outside the box, and scientists were encouraged to go out and talk to people about their field of interest.
- Be Generous: to make sure that everyone could participate, Leiden2022 reached beyond their existing network to get in touch with people, and organise events.
- Be Messy: Leiden2022 embraced a "just do it" mentality, and went beyond the traditional formats to choose out of the box ideas. This has proven to be inspiring and resourceful.
More information about the Leiden2022's approach to organising activities during Leiden, European City of Science, can be found in their position paper.
ERA Policy Agenda 2022-2024
The European Commission has embraced the Leiden2022 Model, and will include it in the ERA Policy Agenda 2022-2024. ERA stands for European Research Area, and is the ambition to create a single, borderless market for research, innovation and technology across the EU. It helps countries be more effective together, by strongly aligning their research policies and programmes. The ERA Policy Agenda sets out voluntary ERA actions for the period 2022-2024 to contribute to the priority areas. One of these areas is "taking up together the challenges posed by the twin green and digital transition, and increasing society's participation in the era", of which "Bring Science Closer to the Citizens" is part.
Leiden2022 has seen that their activities, which caused community-based participation, provided a significant step forward towards building sustainable relationships between science and society. This Leiden2022 model sets the stage for meaningful interaction between scientists and citizens, in which bottom-up participation is the rule, not the exception. "ERA Members from all EU Member States have indicated that Leiden led by example, resulting in the adoption of the position paper", said Lucien Geelhoed. Member States have agreed that the Leiden2022 Model should be maintained for future European Cities of Science, and should be developed even further.