Empowering Minds: Boosting Research in Citizen Engagement and Schools

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Innovation makes Europe one of the most socially inclusive and developed regions of the world. A significant public policy effort was put in place to foster science, technology and innovation, while contributing to solve societal challenges. The main purpose is to unleash innovation-led growth that also contributes to reinforce societal values and sustained development. Engaging society with science and innovation has reached a new paradigm with the Horizon Europe Missions. All sectors need to be actively involved in implementing the Missions to reach the expected goals. From schools to companies, from scientific associations to NGOs, all will be called to contribute by co-creating new solutions, products and processes. The new generations are of particular importance. The innovators of 2030 are now being nurtured in schools, supported by science centres, museums and other non-formal education stakeholders. However, many still feel that those spaces are not meant for them. In fact, “participants for these science communication activities are drawn from socially dominant groups. We can also infer (…) who is less likely to participate in science communication: people from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds and ethnic minorities” (Dawson, 2021). EU-EMBRACES will address this challenge, by engaging those communities while showing how the HE Missions can positively impact their lives. EU-EMBRACES will be developed by a consortium led by ITQB NOVA, a research and academic institution with extensive experience in outreach and event organization, in partnership with Ciência Viva, a national agency dedicated to Scientific Culture; and i3S, a research centre with a solid educational programme for schools and the public. The project will bring together researchers and other stakeholders involved in the HE Missions and the public, in more than 250 activities in 10 venues across the country, with the support of research institutions and local authorities.