RRI implies that social actors (researchers, citizens, politicians, businesses, trade organizations, etc.) work together during the entire research and innovation process, in order to better tune the process and its results to the values, needs and expectations of the society.
In the context of the European program Horizon 2020, RRI is a key action of the objective “Science with and for Society“. The thematic elements of RRI are:
- public engagement;
- access to knowledge (open access);
- gender equality, favoring women’s access to university careers and fair economic treatment;
- ethics;
- scientific education.
The European Community promotes integrated actions for institutional change, to encourage the adoption of the RRI approach by stakeholders and institutions.