The Copernicus Science Centre takes part in various projects addressed at institutions and organisations which promote research and scientific discoveries and link them with other disciplines, i.e. law or ethics. Those initiatives – European programmes – are supposed to encourage inhabitants of all partaking States to actively search for and implement solutions to the problems that emerge with the development of civilisation and science. They also aim at promoting recent discoveries of science and encouraging science communication.
- The PLACES project
The PLACES - Platform of Local Authorities and Communicators Engaged in Science project is supported by a consortium of several European organisations active in the field of science communication, headed by ECSITE and EUSCEA.
It will be implemented as a part of the 7th Framework Programme of the European Commission Science in Society, Area 5.3.0.3 Encouraging a European dimension at science events targeting the public, SiS-2009-3.0.3.1 Platform of networks grouping science museums, organizers of science events and the cities.
The goal of the project is to develop, extend and gather the best practices in the field of science communication and promote them in other European cities. The whole initiative will result in the establishment of a European City of Science Culture - a science-friendly city. The project is planned for four years and will be implemented by means of City Partnerships between the organisations active in the field of science communication (members of ECSITE or EUCSEA) and the municipal authorities.
Ca. 90 cities and regions from 34 countries take part in the project (Warsaw, Białystok and Wrocław are the Polish participants). Ca. 50 partnerships will be established, but many activities will take place in the remaining cities and regions which applied for project participation. The project will be concluded by the meeting of all partners to the PLACES platform at a conference. City Partnerships will partake in a competition for new events in the science communication field.
The Copernicus Science Centre takes part in the PLACES initiative as a part of a local network with two Warsaw partners: the Capital City of Warsaw and the Science Festival.- The Xplore Health Project
The Europe-wide project coordinated by the Barcelona Science Park, aiming at increasing social awareness of current state of research in the ethical, legal and social aspect of health-related fields.
The main project objectives are:
• bridging the gap between research and education
• inspiring the researchers-to-be
• promoting awareness of science
• fostering dialogue
A web page has already been launched as a part of the project, to be followed by events in museums, science centres and schools (e.g. workshops, dialogue games etc.)
The project will contribute to a long-term cooperation with the scientific circles dealing with the subject.- The DeCiDe Project
In 2010 the Centre was awarded co-financing under the MicroFund Project for organising Play DeCiDe at Young Discoverers' Clubs.
The Centre, as one of thirteen European institutions, received co-financing in the amount of EUR 2 500 for promotion of the debate-game PlayDecide. It aims at familiarising the participants with the issues concerning progress of science, its influence on the life of individuals and the society, and at discussing ethical dilemmas. The objective of the game is to encourage the participants to be active in the legal decision making processes, which are to find solutions to the problems.
The project submitted by the Centre included translating the game into Polish, developing a correct application at the website and organising a game session for Young Discoverers' Clubs (http://www.kmo.org.pl) and local communities.
The results are registered at the official website of PlayDecide. More information about the game available at www.playdecide.eu.
The Copernicus Science Centre took part in the DeCiDe (Deliverative Citizen’s Debates) Project – organising sessions of game debates concerning the influence of contemporary science on citizens’ lives in 2006 and 2007. The aim of the game is increasing citizens’ activity, improving the ability of active information seeking concerning scientific issues and persuading citizens of the need and necessity of influencing the development of science and its uses.The following debates focused on:
• stem cells
• genetic research on human foeti (“Tailor-made children”)
• xenotransplantations (transplantations of organs of animal origin)
• nanotechnology
• brain research
• legal and ethical issues concerning AIDS
All game discussions are concluded with the development of recommendations for a given field of science by the participants. Reports from the meetings enable evaluation of similarities and differences in perceiving and solving ethical dilemmas resulting from the development of human sciences in European societies.
The Copernicus Science Centre has been invited with 12 other European centres to conduct a series of six debates on the above-mentioned issues. The debates have been organised in Austria, Belgium, Estonia, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Poland, Slovenia, Spain and the United Kingdom.
The game may also be organised by institutions and private persons from other countries - the materials are accessible free of charge from the project website: www.playdecide.org.The DeCiDe Project is co-financed by the European Union and headed by the consortium consisting of the ECSITE and science centres: @Bristol (The United Kingdom), La Cité des Science et de l’Industrie (France), Citta della Scienza (Italy) and Heureka (Finland).
- KiiCS project
KiiCS (Knowledge Incubation in Innovation and Creation for Science) is a three-year programme (2012–2014) financed by the European Commission and implemented by ECSITE (European Network of Science Centres and Museums).
The aim of KiiCS is the search for common areas of cooperation for the creative, science, technology and business sectors. The programme supports innovative solutions that arise through such cooperation. It stimulates co-creation processes involving artists and scientists and in creative ways promotes youth interest in science.
KiiCS project is divided into three action areas. First, the project partners will determine in which areas the incubation of innovation will take place between the academic and creative sectors (the so-called “Do-it-yourself” incubation package) and develop methods and tools conducive to the process. Then the creative and scientific centres of nine European cities (Amsterdam, Barcelona, Dublin, Gothenburg, Grenoble, London, Ljubljana, Naples, and Warszawa) will establish the so-called incubation modules. Their aim is to propose effective models of cooperation between people from different fields which will result in the birth of ideas addressing the problems of modern life. Eighteen of all the proposals created as a result of such cooperation will be selected and they will fight for KiiCS prizes. The winning ideas will be promoted in the world of business.
The incubators’ offer is directed to adults and young people in separate programming blocks.
Besides the Copernicus Science Centre, the project involves 11 different science centres, universities, NGOs, associations, organisations, and art galleries from various European countries:ECSITE (European Network of Science Centres and Museums), Belgium, www.ecsite.eu,
Idis - Fondazione Citta della Scienza, Italy, www.cittadellascienza.it,
The Arts Catalyst, United Kingdom, www.artscatalyst.org,
Kapelika Gallery, Slovenia, www.kapelica.org,
Science Gallery, Ireland, www.sciencegallery.com,
Waag Society, Amsterdam – Holland, www.waag.org,
The TILLT organization, Sweden, www.tillt.se,
Science Communication Observatory (OCC), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Spain, www.occ.upf.edu,
Centre de Culture Scientifique Technique et Industrielle (CCSTI Grenoble La Casemate), France, www.ccsti-grenoble.org,
European Business and Innovation Centre Network (EBN), Belgium, www.ebn.be,
KEA European Affairs (KEA), Belgium, www.keanet.eu.
