Author: Iván Barreda

Teaching and training TA

Knowledge and capacity building for TA users and TA practitioners

Introduction

Enhancing the capacities for providing comprehensive policy advice on science and technology related issues is crucial in order to foster knowledge-based policy-making. This implies to train both professionals involved in TA or TA-like activities and users of TA produced knowledge, i.e. policy-makers, journalists, stakeholders, NGOs representatives, etc.
PACITA provided several teaching and training initiatives so as to encourage the uptake and use of TA rationale and methods and, eventually, contribute to the strengthening and expending of the TA landscape in Europe.

Activities

Two Summer Schools:
Aim: Raise awareness and introduce TA to a broader audience; strengthen the support base for TA.
Target Groups: TA users (policy-makers, Scientists, engineers, civil society, media).
Four Practitioners Trainings:
Aim: Build capacity for TA and share experiences in order to increase quality, efficacy and thus legitimacy of TA practices.
Target Groups: TA practitioners and future practitioners.

Results

	PRACTITIONERS TRAINING	SUMMER SCHOOL
Aim	Build organisational and collective capacity on how to perform TA.	Raise awareness and enhance capacity for knowledge-based governance processes.
Setting	Mutual learning involving junior and senior TA practitioners from TA organisations, as well as professionals involved in introducing TA in their organisation/country.	Mutual learning involving TA professionals and TA users, as well as professionals involved in introducing TA in their organisation/country and potential TA users in countries where no TA unit exists.
Programme	4 interconnected sessions of 3 days each (Lisbon 2011, Sofia 2012, Vilnius 2013, Prague 2014): / Each session focusses on one phase of TA processes: problem definition, methods, outputs, communication ; / Mix of lectures, case study presentations, group exercises and role-playing.	2 events of 3 days each (Liège 2012, Cork 2014): / Introduction to TA; / Addressing grand challenges with a TA approach: framing the problem, methods, outputs, communication; / Mix of lectures and interactive workshops, including role-playing.
Outputs	Practitioners who participated could: / Get inspiration and new ideas for their work; / Extend their professional network; / Gain new knowledge; / Gain new skills.	Support base for TA could be strengthened: / Awareness about existing TA institutions; / Need for TA identified and made concrete; / Networking. / Gain new insights on grand challenges.
Results	Strengthening the TA community / Capacity building for TA in new countries.	Building a TA community beyond practitioners / Creating interest for TA/PACITA activities

Conclusions

Teaching and training TA activities:
Enhance the knowledge and capacity of users and practitioners.
Provide support for TA new comers from within and beyond the existing TA community.
Teaching and training TA should be organised on a regular basis so as to guarantee continuity and quality. This requires stable funding available to the extended TA community.
Teaching and training TA build essential knowledge and capacities so that science, technology and innovation are governed in a responsible way, i.e. their social, ethical, economical and environmental consequences are anticipated and discussed within society.

Task leaders

Practitioners Trainings
Danielle Bütschi, Swiss Centre for Technology Assessment (TA-SWISS)
Emiliano Feresin, Swiss Centre for Technology Assessment (TA-SWISS)
Summer Schools
Pierre Delvenne, University of Liège, SPIRAL
Beneditk Rosskamp, University of Liège, SPIRAL