Co-Change mission

Many researchers care about the ethical, legal, and social aspects of conducting their research, therefore producing ethically acceptable, sustainable and socially desirable research and innovation outcomes. However, the principles of responsible research and innovation (RRI) are much less integrated at the institutional and organisational levels. The Co-Change Project wants to develop and strengthen the capacity for ethical reflection and responsible conduct into the structure and culture of research performing and funding organisations. Our aim is that organisations think about the impacts of science and technology at all levels.

We would like to initiate and implement institutional changes in the areas of the 5 European Commission RRI keys: citizen engagement, gender equality, open access, research ethics and science education.

#COCHANGE2020 is a collaboration and support action to apply an innovative systemic approach to boost the transformative capacity and leadership for responsible research in research funding and performing institutions. The primary vehicles for this mission are change labs that will activate change coalitions in R&I with multiple societal actors (researchers, citizens, policymakers, businesses, and third-sector organisations). Change Labs will facilitate the transformation of internal processes and outcomes with the values, needs and expectations of society. 

Our mission

“Increased interactions between R&I stakeholders in our societies require changes at research funding and performing organisations to accept inputs from citizens and organisations that used to be considered outsiders to the world of R&I. Co-Change inspire such changes by introducing new practices in the areas of research ethics, open access, citizen engagement, gender equality and science education.”

During the kick-off meeting, we asked ourselves as partners in the consortium, who would be the most pertinent characters embodying the Co-Change mission.

Here is our list on the main source of inspiration for Co-Change.

Margarita Salas

The Spanish researcher (1938 – 2019) in the field of biotechnology was the first woman ever elected to the Royal Spanish Academy and became the outspoken leader increasing women’s role in science.

Chihiro 

The main fictional character of the anime movie, Spirited Away, enters a bath-town inhabited by demons and evil gods. 

Ruth Bader Ginsburg (1933-)

The Notorious R.B.G. serves since 1993 as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, an advocate of gender equality.

Peter Hoeg (1957-)

The famous Danish fiction writer often reflects in his novels on the B-side of modernisation, the consequences of civilisation.

Pippi Longstocking

A fictional character of popular Swedish children books by Astrid Lindgren first published from 1945 to 1948. Her often subversive behaviour being socially free from conventions shows mirror for adults’ society.

Hari Seldon

The fictional character of Isaac Asimov who - through his method called psychohistory, similarly to big data, could mathematically foresee the future society.

Michiel de Ruyter (1607 – 1676)

The humble admiral was leading the Dutch Navy during the Anglo-Dutch Wars and was highly respected by his soldiers.

Godfather

Coppola’s film starring Marlon Brando and Al Pacino is presenting the corrupt society from the gangster’s perspective and the survival strategies it entails. 

Keanu Reeves 

The Neo actor in the movie Matrix, where machines oppressed humanity, becoming a hero awoken to the truth of the fabricated reality around him.