‘Science with and for Society’ (SwafS) is a sub-programme of the EU’s research and innovation programme Horizon 2020 that VA (Public & Science) aims at influencing. The aim of SwafS is to build effective cooperation between science and society and to encourage responsible research and innovation, so that developments in research and innovation better meet the values and needs of society.

VA has been responsible for coordinating the development of a national SwafS advocacy platform. The project has brought together some fifty Swedish organisations, government agencies, research centres and individual researchers with the aim of increasing Swedish participation in SwafS. The project was funded by EU-Sam, a collaboration that includes the research funding organisations VINNOVA, Forte, Formas, the Swedish Research Council, the Swedish Energy Agency and the Swedish National Space Board.
The project website contains information on all the policy areas of the SwafS programme (Gender Equality; Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI); Governance; Public Engagement, Open Access and Science Education).
Through the advocacy platform, the stakeholders have sought to find new channels and ways of influencing the design of future work programmes and calls for proposals under EU funding mechanisms to ensure that Swedish strengths and development need are met.
If you would like to know more about the project, please get in touch with Maria Hagardt, International Relations & Communications Manager at VA.