Cimulact Horizon 2020 project releases 23 citizens’ visions during meeting in Malta

The Cimulact project demonstrates that up-stream engagement of citizens is possible and marks a shift in how research can be defined

Thirty-eight partners from 30 European countries, participants in the Cimulact (Citizen and Multi-Actor Consultation on Horizon 2020) project, met recently in Malta to discuss the future impact of citizens’ visions which were generated during workshops held in each country.

Cimulact is funded by the European Commission and coordinated by the Danish Board of Technology Foundation in Copenhagen. It is composed of 29 partners from 30 European countries including Malta and it aims to bridge the gap between citizens and policy makers.

The project is based on the premise that open science is not just about making science available to people, it is also about engaging people in setting the direction for research. This was the core idea behind the project, which released 23 citizens’ based suggestions for Horizon 2020 topics during the meeting held at the University of Malta’s Valletta Campus.

The 23 topics address different challenges European citizens find in their everyday life and specify how research may address these challenges, for example, how to ensure equal and holistic health services for all; how to develop evidence-based personalized healthcare; how education can be a driver for social innovation and local development or how to achieve smarter consumption.

The Cimulact Malta meeting discussed the future impact of the project. This should incorporate an increase in citizen participation as a source of information for research, the regular promotion of citizen feedback on projects and the increase of participatory practices. Lars Klüver, the project coordinator, strongly feels that similar activities that adopt a bottom-up approach could and should be implemented in all branches of the EU research system, “Cimulact has accomplished something new, which already demarcates a shift in the view on how research can be defined”.

Professor Ing. Saviour Zammit, pro rector for Research and Knowledge Transfer at the University of Malta, addressed participants at the meeting. He acknowledged the link between the visions, challenges and research scenarios that emerged from the project and the research priorities of the University of Malta and of the country.

“It is interesting to see that the future visions generated and prioritized by Maltese citizens clearly address some of the European Commission’s Grand Challenges, in particular those related to the environment, health and wellbeing,” said Professor Sandra M. Dingli from The Edward de Bono Institute at the University of Malta, who hosted the Malta meeting.

Three research scenarios generated and prioritized by the Maltese citizens are included as the three most popular research topics generated by the various citizens’ workshops. These are: (1) At one with nature; (2) Access to equal and holistic health services and resources for all citizens and (3) Evidence-based personalised healthcare. Education, transport and technology were among the concerns and visions which the Maltese citizens focussed upon.

One of the Maltese citizens stated: “With education comes healthier lifestyles.” Sustainable transport was a key issue as one of the visions expressed the desire for “less traffic due to self-driving cars, higher use of scooters and bicycles”. Concerns related to technology emerged in the Malta workshops as one person stated that “Technology is not completely at our service … What makes humans is not what humans make and our creations should not become our creators”.

Between October 2015 and February 2016, workshops were held for 1,500 citizens in the 30 participating countries, including Malta. The result was 170 visions which were later processed and clustered. Various meetings, an additional workshop in each country and a Pan European Conference, where experts and European Commission Programme officers attended, were held. The 23 research topics and 40 policy recommendations emerged from the process. These reflect citizens’ expectations, desires and concerns for the future of Europe and are based on the topics which the European citizens raised.

The Edward de Bono Institute at the University of Malta is the partner in this project. The Edward de Bono Institute offers a Master in Creativity and Innovation, and a PhD in Creativity, Innovation, Entrepreneurship or Foresight. These are available on either a fullor part-time basis. In addition, the Institute is currently offering a parttime Diploma in Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, commencing in October, at the University’s Gozo Campus. For more information visit www.um.edu.mt/create