Inquiring, participating, giving impulses

Science communication is evolving continuously and rapidly – with a prominent focus on involvement, cooperation and empowerment of different publics. Of central importance to DLR Projektträger is the open exchange between science and society at eye level as well as mutual learnings in order to strengthen trust and involvement in science and research.

The DLR Projektträger Centre of Expertise for Science Communication supports the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) in its science communication agenda and within the frameworks of various other commissions promoting further development of participatory science communication. The Centre of Expertise continually explores the possibilities of participation with the possible outputs, outcomes and impact in mind.

We are making it happen: Science Year 2022 –Participate!

For the first time, the " Science Year 2022 – Participate!" did not focus on a specific area of scientific research, but on the needs and questions of citizens regarding science and governmental research agendas. The aim of Science Year 2022 was to strengthen societal involvement and cooperation in scientific and political development processes and, thus, to generate new impulses for research and research policy from wider parts of society.

The central mobilisation campaign of Science Year 2022 was the "IdeenLauf" sprint of ideas) with the campaign motto #MeineFragefürdieWissenschaft (my question for science). The mobilization campaign started in January 2022 asking different publics to help in addressing their questions to science. The incoming questions and suggestions were collected, condensed and evaluated and formed the basis of inputs for future research policies in Germany. During the IdeenLauf campaign, citizens submitted more than 14,000 questions that they wanted science and research to address in the future. The questions ranged from solutions for the mobility of the future, to better climate protection, to insights that promote a more just society. At the end of the mobilisation campaign, three committees – the Citizen Panel, consisting of around 30 citizens, the Science Panel and the Jury, comprising roughly 70 researchers – screened the questions received in a multi-stage participatory process and summarised them in 59 thematic cluster ss. The result of the nationwide participatory process is a citizen-centred policy- recommendation paper that addresses the BMBF and s scientific e organisations in Germany. It was ceremoniously handed over to representatives of the ministry and the Alliance of Science Organisations at the closing event of Science Year 2022 in November 2023.

The Centre of Expertise for Science Communication supervised the process of the mobilisation campaign, organised the involved partners and contractor and supported the editorial work on the policy recommendation paper. On behalf of the BMBF, the Centre of Expertise is currently drafting a funding program aimed at translating the focal points of the IdeenLauf into participatory research projects - thereby strengthening societal participation in science and science policy. In addition to funding participatory research the BMBF is planning to set up a nationwide networking platform accommodating and consolidating different participation approaches in research and research policy. The platform wants to bring various actors and methodological approaches together (i.e. citizen science, transformation research, social action research) promoting new inter- and transdisciplinary practices and projects of participation. Here, the Centre of Expertise is developing the concept for implementation in 2023.

Developing strategies – the Green and White Paper process on Participation in Research

While the IdeenLauf provided outputs for potentially new research areas and foci, the bigger process of the BMBFs "Participatory Research Strategy" is centres on the framework conditions and instruments for strengthening social participation in research policy and research.

Based on a number of interlocking process-components, the BMBF participation strategy will be developed as a white paper by summer/autumn 2023 in close coordination between politics, science andcivil society. It’s aim is to widen and increase the scope of the use of participatory formats in scientific research and policies as well as improving the quality of participation itself. For example through targeted exchange formats for researchers interested and committed to participation and the promotion of inclusive approaches in in research. By identifying concrete measures and recommendations for embedding participatory approaches in research and research policy, the participations strategy contributes to strengthening open society.

The Centre of Expertise fpr Science Communication provides strategic advice to the BMBF in the White Paper process and is actively involved in the development of the participation strategy. It also supports the BMBF in integrating the perspectives of science and civil society into the process.

Providing advice – science communication in project funding

To emphasise the importance of the exchange between science and society, the BMBF has made science communication an integral part of its funding guidelines. The rollout and consecutive implementation of the funding practice is supported by the Science Communication Advisory Unit, which was established in the Centre of Expertise for Science Communication in 2021. The services of the Advisory Unit were expanded in 2022 –by incorporating the know-how and extensive experience of various departments of DLR Projektträger.

The Advisory Unit implemented eight online advisory events as well as numerous individual advisory sessions were held in 2022. In sum over 300responsible parties from project management agencies and BMBF departments were reached and were informed about participatory science communication and the integration of science communication in BMBF funding.