VA welcomes opportunities to work together with other organisations and participate in International projects. Below we outline the experience and expertise that we are able to bring to partnerships.
Our expertise:
- Research: Conducting studies and surveys into the relationship between science and society. This includes an annual barometer into the Swedish public’s attitudes towards science and researchers (comparable data since 2002) as well as specific studies into societal groups, such as teachers, business and the media.
- Public engagement: Activities aimed at stimulating dialogue between researchers and the public in novel ways and in new arenas. These include science festivals (including Researchers’ Night in Sweden), mass experiments, conferences, public dialogues, science cafés and competitions.
- Science communication: Knowledge hub for science communication in Sweden with experience in EU project communications, developing toolkits and best practice guidelines.
- Knowledge and promotion of Open Science and RRI (Responsible Research and Innovation). VA was the Swedish hub for the EU project RRI Tools and a partner in the EU open science project ORION. VA also runs tailor-made workshops on different aspects of open science for Swedish universities.
- Citizen science – VA coordinates an annual citizen science mass experiment, has developed a Swedish citizen science portal and was a partner in the EU-Citizen.Science project. Also a member of ECSA (European Citizen Science Association).
- Co-creation processes and collaborative activities involving multi-stakeholder groups. Examples include ORION co-creation experiments, Science Shops and the AllThings.bio serious online game.
- Projects specifically aimed at engaging young people in science, including mass experiments, student parliaments, persona development and science festivals.
- Science education initiatives, including the identification of teachers’ needs and provision of support.
- Media and communications training for scientists as well as an annual science communication competition for researchers.
- Advocacy work to inform and influence research policy at a national and international level.
- VA was the coordinator of a national advocacy platform for Science with and for Society activity in Sweden involving 30 Swedish stakeholders.
- Facilitation of workshops, focus groups, training and discussion forums.
- Dissemination and communication expertise (online and offline), including leading Communication and Dissemination work within EU projects.
- Stakeholder consultation and management.
- Extensive national and international networks.
We are particularly interested in projects relating to:
- Public engagement
- Science communication
- Open Science
- Citizen Science
- Responsible research and innovation
Also take a look at some of our other current and past projects.
International networks
VA is a member of several international networks and organisations:
- Ecsite – European network of science centres and museums
- ECSA – European Citizen Science Association
- Eusea – European Science Engagement Association
- Falling Walls Engage – Sweden Hub – international hubs bring together science engagers from all over the world in local communities.
