In March 2011 ARC Fund became involved in the highly innovative project Parliaments and Civil Society in Technology Assessment (PACITA), supported through the EU’s 7th Framework Programme, and was one of 15 partners from 13 European countries. Partner institutions included national and regional parliamentary offices for science and technology, science academies, research institutions, universities, and civil society organisations. The project run until March 2015.
In committing to this project, ARC Fund’s ambition was two-fold. First, we sought to introduce the concept of (parliamentary) technology assessment (TA or PTA), particularly with regard to enhancing the understanding of scientific and technological novelties among policy-makers and the general public; and second, to mobilise relevant stakeholders in recognizing the role of knowledge in devising sound policies. This served to support the formation of a strong domestic (P)TA awareness and practice in the country. Around the world PTA has gained significant prominence at the intercept among science, public policy, and society. Through traditions and practices across the different countries reflect great diversity with regard to institutionalization, methodology and its broader societal role and impact, PTA’s key message remains the same everywhere. It supports the processes of democratic policymaking on issues involving science, technology and innovation, by providing comprehensive insight into knowledge on opportunities and consequences, by facilitating democratic processes of debate and clarification, and by formulating policy options.
We strongly believe PTA has the potential to significantly enhance democratic praxis in terms of elaborating better policies, designing more consistent legislation, and raising public awareness of scientific and technological advances. In addition, PTA practices are very likely to strengthen society’s trust in both policy-making and in the results of scientific research.
ARC Fund takes special pride in being a pioneer in championing the PTA concept and practice within the domestic policy discourse, and is currently the only Bulgarian organisation to promote PTA. We built on our strong track record in supporting the development and implementation of innovation policies, in performing high-quality applied research, in networking with policy institutions and science centres, and in mainstreaming technological advances and solutions.
List of PACITA partners:
Danish Board of Technology, Denmark (coordinator)
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany
The Rathenau Institute, the Netherlands
Norwegian Board of Technology, Norway
The Institute of Technology Assessment, Austria
Institute for Technology of Biology and Chemistry, Portugal
Institute Society and Technology, Flanders, Belgium
Catalan Institution Foundation for Research Support, Catalonia, Spain
Swiss Centre for Technology Assessment, Switzerland
Knowledge Economy Forum, Lithuania
Technology Centre ASCR, Czech Republic
University of Liège, SPIRAL Research Center, Wallonia, Belgium
University College Cork, Ireland
Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Hungary
For more information on the project, please visit: www.pacitaproject.eu
Contact persons:
Zoya Damianova, zoya.damianova@online.bg
Ventseslav Kozarev, ventseslav.kozarev@online.bg
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Technology Assessment Portal
http://technology-assessment.info
This novel Internet resource provides access to all kind of TA relevant information, in particular to TA institutions, projects, publications and experts.
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