Technology Assessment, Governance and Sustainability

Welcome address

Em. Professor Raoul Weiler, President, EU-Chapter of the Club of Rome

The 52^nd Aurelio Peccei Lecture: TA as a Governance Tool for Science & Technology Policy

Robby Berloznik

Over the last decades, Technology Assessment (TA) developed into a scientific, interactive and communicative process that contributes with high quality and independent information to the public and political opinion on science and technology issues. The inclusion of public participation as a method in achieving this has led to a potential of enriching public governance with instruments and tools that enable the political system to augment the democratic quality of decision-making. This potential of TA as a governance tool will be illustrated by several case studies taken from the Belgian context.

TA-Institutions as Communicator to Policy Orientation

Jan Staman

The effect on politicians and policy-makers of well performed and evidence based TA- reports depends first and for all on the way TA officials communicate and manage expectations. Evidence based statements do not speak for itself in politics, administration nor in civic society and for that reason being a Communicator should be one of the major assets of the institution’s corporate image. The lecture will provide arguments, opportunities, constraints and examples which illustrate the case.

Honorary Membership of the EU-Chapter of CoR conferred by H.R.H. Prince Philip of Belgium on

Philippe Busquin, MEP

Laudatio by Mark Dubrulle,
Member of the Board EU-Chapter CoR, President GreenFacts

The EU-Parliament and its Vision on Technology Assessment

Philippe Busquin
(Lecture will be held in French)

Today many of the issues coming before the European Parliament have a scientific or technological theme. They may be proposals directly relating to research or innovation policy, or measures concerning the many ways in which science and technology impact on society, the economy or the environment. STOA is the Parliament’s own Scientific Technology Options Assessment unit.

To read a recent article about Philippe Busquin please follow this link.