May 18, 2022
This event focused on co-creation of activities for achieving future scenario envisaged through the reflection and co-design process for RRI ‘anchor’ activities targeting territory of Skopje planning region (North Macedonia).
Date: 04.04.2022
Location: ZOOM Platform
Organisers: Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts, National Centre for Development of Innovation and Entrepreneurial Learning
Who attended the event?
The event gathered 32 stakeholders (including 3 WBC-RRI.NET project representatives) coming from governmental organizations, industry representatives, academia and civil society, all interested in RRI initiatives for STEM education and gender equality. Most of the participants had already attended the 1st workshop, which contributed better work on planning activities.
What happened at the event?
The aim of this regional workshop was to discuss with the quadruple helix representatives the co-design activities addressing the scenario selected at the 1st workshop. Several SMART goals were presented, together with the activities that will be carried out for implementing the anchor initiative in this region.
Prof. Radmil Polenakovikj, president of National Centre for Development of Innovation and Entrepreneurial Learning, welcomed and introduced the participants to brief overview of WBC-RRI.NET project and the already selected scenario during the previous workshop. He emphasized the importance of co-design and co-creation for successful implementation of activities aiming towards the embedding of RRI into the R&I ecosystem. Next were the presentations of 2 parallel important strategies and events for the country, that have synergy with this project’s key strategic initiatives (research, innovations and technological development, as well as sustainable socio-economic development) – the National Development Strategy and Smart Specialisation Strategy. These topics and presentations posed the questions about how this project can be implemented in these processes, as well as what can we learn and implement in this project from these processes.
Firstly, prof. Polenakovikj gave a brief overview of the National Development Strategy 2022-2042 – the development and establishment of the methodology, the activities that were already implemented, the key stakeholders, the thematic areas that the National Development Strategy covers, the organised workshops for joint creation of the future, as well as the upcoming next activities.
The following guest, d-r Jasmina Majstorovska from the Ministry of Economy, head of the Smart Specialisation Strategy working group, presented the Smart Specialisation Strategy of the Republic of North Macedonia. She introduced the key points about why the Smart Specialisation Strategy is important for the Republic of North Macedonia, the process of S3 development, the governance structure, the S3 framework, as well as what are the next steps and some of the challenges that already have or may arise in the future of the development of the strategy.
Jana Prodanova from the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts started her presentation with brief overview of the conclusions from the previous workshop and the selected scenario “How to deal with the territory’s development?”. As it was discussed then that it would be best if the final future scenario is a compound of both presented scenarios, Prodanova demonstrated the adapted and expanded initiatives for the final scenario that have additional elements from the first scenario as well:
- Efforts to convert brain-drain into brain-gain
- Initial efforts to strengthen STEM education and gender equality, including public engagement in development of R&D initiatives, economic and political practices
- North Macedonia continues to be stated as one of the leaders in Europe based on the indicator for women researchers
- Collaboration for joint decision-making and striving for equal goals
- Strong network, motivated citizens and delivery of competent human resources on the labour market
- Support form educational, industrial. Governmental and non-governmental institutions
- Youth that is inspired and motivated to pursue their careers in the region
- Rapid development of entrepreneurship through wider acceptance of STEAM
Next up presented were the key points regarding the goals and the activities to be carried out to achieve the envisaged changes and impacts for the implementation of the anchor initiative:
Goal 1: Improvements in strategic and developing activities to increase gender equality awareness and highlight the role of women in ICT.
The activities that will be implemented for this goal are:
- Campaign for communication and increasing awareness about the need for specific measures for establishing social inclusion and equality
- Meetings and focus group with teachers/parents to identify their opinion on elements determining gender balance
- Survey for identifying students’ perception of science education and gender balance needs
- Campaign/training for women’s inclusion in ICT and maintaining the leadership in the number of women researchers
- Conclusions and implications driven from the survey, meetings and focus groups results.
Goal 2: STEAM awareness-raising on how to encourage the participation of students from all societal groups and of female students in STEM activities at all educational levels.
The activities that will be implemented for this goal are:
- Meetings and focus group with teachers/parents to identify their opinion on motivating students to participate in STEM vs STEAM activities/courses
- Meetings and focus group with teachers/parents to identify their opinion on elements determining gender balance; survey for identifying students’ perception of science education and gender balance needs
- Campaign/training for women’s inclusion in ICT and maintaining the leadership in the number of women researchers
- Conclusions and implications driven from the survey, meetings and focus groups results.
Goal 3: Transforming brain drain into brain gain, by preparing stakeholders and engaging students and recent graduates to undertake new employments for impacting their hometowns’ development and the county’s progress.
The activities that will be implemented for this goal are:
- Build stronger links and collaboration between mapped QH actors
- Conclusions and implications driven from the survey, meetings and focus groups results.
Goal 4: Build potential for creating an agenda for STEM education and for motivating and encouraging young people and kids to develop creative, innovative, problem-solving skills as the means to be more easily engaged in STEAM initiatives.
The activities that will be implemented for this goal are:
- Survey for identifying students’ perception of science education and gender balance needs
- Conclusions and implications driven from the survey, meetings and focus groups results.
Goal 5: Contribute to the S3 and the National Strategy 2021-2041, by promotion of RRI activities and dissemination of recommendations.
The activity that will be implemented for this goal is:
- Conclusions and implications driven from the survey, meetings and focus groups results.
All quadruple helix actors agreed with the proposed planned activities and will stay in cooperation with the project partners during the implementation of the anchor initiative in the Skopje planning region.
Take a look at the presentation and the agenda of the event. (on local language)
