Deadline: 23-Nov-22
The European Commission (EC) has launched the proposals for Social innovations as enablers of security solutions and increased security perception.
Scope
Citizens and local communities are insufficiently involved in the co-creation of socially innovative processes to develop security solutions and thus conceptions of what citizens and local communities know and think about security could be predominantly shaped by media coverage. This might result in bias in the assessment of the seriousness and probability of different security threats. Nevertheless, social acceptance of security technology depends on understanding citizens’ awareness of security problems and threats. Comprehensive discussion that involves citizens from all parts of society directly in co-design such as through Responsible Research and Innovation and social innovation, alongside other security technology actors, would integrate public concerns beyond incident-based interpretations of security threats, thereby increasing social acceptance of security technology and subjective feelings and perceptions of personal security in daily life. At the same time, industry would be in a position to identify new business opportunities in producing and delivering security products and services, which are in line with needs, values and expectations of citizens and local communities and support their well-being.
Funding Information
The check will normally be done for the coordinator if the requested grant amount is equal to or greater than EUR 500 000, except for:
- public bodies (entities established as a public body under national law, including local, regional or national authorities) or international organisations; and
- cases where the individual requested grant amount is not more than EUR 60 000 (lowvalue grant).
Expected Outcomes
Projects’ results are expected to contribute to one or several of the following outcomes:
- Policy makers, security practitioners and researchers have increased understanding of the capabilities and capacities of local communities and citizens to contribute to developing security solutions;
- Policy makers, researchers and system developers increase the orientation of security solution development towards socially innovative and Responsible Research and Innovation approaches;
- The notions of ‘smart citizens’ and ‘smart local communities’ empowered by Responsible Research and Innovation and social innovation, where the general public co-control safety and security of their environments, are more widely adopted by decision makers;
- New benchmarks, standards or other quality criteria are established for developing security solutions through Responsible Research and Innovation;
- Increased collaboration across all parts of the quadruple helix (academia/research, public authorities, industry/SMEs, civil society/citizens/local communities) to develop innovations in line with the needs, values and expectations of society;
- Innovative, transferable and potentially scalable technological solutions co-created with citizens and local communities in social labs and innovation living hubs, and citizens empowered to act as generators, validators and end-users of the new horizontal technologies;
- Societal trust in security research products, their desired usefulness and social acceptability.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for funding, applicants must be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
- the Member States of the European Union, including their outermost regions;
- the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) linked to the Member States;
-
eligible non-EU countries:
- countries associated to Horizon Europe;
- low- and middle-income countries.
For more information, visit European Commission.
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