STACS: Science, technology and civil society

The issue of civil society involvement in research has not received enough attention. But the European vision of a knowledge-based society demands an early dialogue between scientists, policy makers and civil society. To this end, the STACS project will seek to bridge the gap between research and civil society and find common projects to work on for the future.

More specifically, the STACS project will provide:

1. training sessions on socially important scientific issues to build the capacity of civil society,
2. workshops to identify interesting research topics for cooperation, especially in the European Commission 7th framework programme,
3. a web site to provide a platform for exchange between civil society and scientists,
4. an analysis of the European research system and raising awareness of and for civil society,
5. opportunities for the members of the European Parliament to get engaged in the promotion of civil society in research.

The partners participating in this project is Association pour la création d'une Fondation Sciences Citoyennes (coordinating), European Public Health Alliance, Réseaux Semences Paysannes, Greenpeace UK, DEMOS, and Institut Mensch, Ethik und Wissenschaft from France, Belgium, United Kingdom, and Germany.

FSFE Contributions

The FSFE participates in the project to provide the necessary competence on Free Software and related fields. We will organise a capacity building session for civil society on Free Software, as well as a workshop for researchers and civil society both to identify projects related to Free Software to work on.

The first capacity building session, Free Software as a Social Innovation took place in London on the 2nd of November 2007. The workshop Free Software Research and Civil Society took place in Belgrade on the 4th of December 2007.

FSFE's activities for the STACS project are coordinated by Jonas Öberg.