A High-Level Conference on Science Communication ‘Unlocking the Power of Wetenskap Communication in navorsing and Policy Making’, was held in Brussels on 12 and 13 March 2024. The conference was co-organised by the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO), Fund for Wetenskaplike Navorsing (F.R.S.-FNRS), and Science Europe under the auspices of the Belgian Presidency of the European Union (January–June 2024).
The conference was attended by the science communicators, research and funding organisations, policy makers and other stakeholders. The discussions hinged around importance of integrating science communication in research ekosisteme, prioritising its significance at various levels, engaging citizens and advocacy for public investment in navorsing. Development of institutional tools to enhance researchers’ communication skills; recognition of wetenskap communication as a profession; and combating misinformation were some of the other pertinent areas of deliberations among the participants.
Sleutel aanbevelings van die konferensie is
- Incentivise wetenskap communication within research environments through better recognition and support. Funding support should be provided for dedicated training in communication skills; for the further integration of communication activities into career paths; and to foster national and international collaborative platforms to share best practices. Researchers should be recognised and rewarded for their efforts in science communication as part of research assessment systems.
- Erken wetenskapkommunikeerders as professionele persone wat bewysgebaseerde benaderings toepas, en wetenskapkommunikasie as 'n duidelike veld van kundigheid en navorsing. Samewerking tussen navorsers en kommunikeerders is deurslaggewend om te verseker dat navorsingsresultate bruikbaar, toeganklik en oordraagbaar is aan burgers en die breë gemeenskap en om begrip van die wetenskaplike proses binne verskillende gehore te bou.
- Bevorder en ontwikkel KI-geletterdheid en data-deursigtigheid vir die verantwoordelike gebruik van Kunsmatige Intelligensie in wetenskapkommunikasie. Vertroue in KI sal afhang van organisatoriese betrokkenheid by kwessies van aanspreeklikheid, deursigtigheid, regulering en vooroordeel om hierdie instrument se etiese en effektiewe integrasie in navorsing- en kommunikasiepraktyke te verseker.
- Neem 'n stel kernbeginsels aan vir verantwoordelike wetenskapkommunikasie gebaseer op deursigtigheid, inklusiwiteit, integriteit, aanspreeklikheid, respek vir outonomie en tydigheid. Dit maak dit nodig om uitdagings aan te spreek soos deursigtigheid in wetenskaplike kommunikasie, die bevordering van kritiese openbare diskoers, die verbetering van mediageletterdheid, respek vir dissiplinêre verskille, veeltaligheid, en die prioritisering van die kritiese denkvaardighede en vertroue van jongmense in die wetenskap.
Wetenskapkommunikasie connects navorsing aan die publiek, regering en nywerheid. Belanghebbendes moet daaraan werk om dit as 'n integrale pilaar van navorsing en innovasie te bevorder tot voordeel van die samelewing.
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Bronne:
- Wetenskap Europa. Hulpbronne – Wetenskapkommunikasie-konferensie Strategiese Gevolgtrekkings. Geplaas 25 Maart 2024. Beskikbaar by https://scienceeurope.org/our-resources/science-communications-conference-strategic-conclusions/
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