Euroscience OpenForum (ESOF) 2022 Science Conference
As part of the organisation of the European City of Science 2022, the host of which this year is Leiden, the Netherlands, the International Congress Centre in Katowice will host an ESOF 2022 science conference on 15 July. The event officially inaugurates Katowice as the European City of Science 2024.
The EuroScience Open Forum is a Europe-wide event happening every two years, the goal of which is to bring closer the community of scientists within an interdisciplinary debate on scientific culture as well as innovations for society and with society. Since its first edition (in 2004), ESOF has been the biggest event of its kind in Europe, and the hosting cities attract scientists, politicians, business people, and media representatives from all around the world.
The institution organising the ESOF conference is EuroScience (European Association for the Advancement of Science and Technology) associating over 4500 leading thinkers, innovators, journalists, and representatives of education from over 90 countries. Each conference is to provide stimulating content and support a lively exchange of ideas through the debate or other attractions.
During the meeting, participants will have an opportunity to talk about the sustainable environment, sustainable academic career, freedom and the responsibility of science, cultural identity and social transformation, education for entrepreneurship, science and a healthy society. They will also try to find an answer to the following questions:
- How will science be conducted in the future and how can science improve its functionality as a transformational agent that leads to change in society?
- How can science be fully open and go beyond the boundaries of countries, scientific disciplines and societies?
- What are the future behaviours, values, expectations, attitudes and norms of the research community?
- How can institutional structures be changed to support and foster diversity, balance and inclusion?
- What will be the influence of artificial intelligence and machine learning on the research community and scientific practice?
- How will science respond to the war and its consequences?
The programme of the conference includes twelve 75-minute on-site sessions streamed online to Leiden. The sessions will be attended by experts from the universities forming the Katowice consortium of the European City of Science 2024, as well as invited representatives of Polish and foreign scientific centres, experts representing business, cultural institutions and the media.
Among the ESOF accompanying events, there will be discussions on the model of doctoral education and implementation-based doctorate. We will also talk about the directions of changes in scientific publishing and how to combine modern and traditional editorship so we can create the possibly best place for reliable review, and then publishing and promotion of the results of scientific studies.
The organisation of the ESOF Katowice Regional Site at ESOF Leiden is bonded with granting Katowice the title of the European City of Science 2024. The title of the European City of Science makes it possible to increase the involvement of the region’s inhabitants and scientific community in solving local problems. It also strengthens the possibilities of obtaining funds for the implementation of investment plans in regional science as well as increases the tourist attractiveness of the city and the impact of local universities on all spheres of life, growing their recognition in the international arena. Katowice is the first city in Central and Eastern Europe with the title of the European City of Science.
The capital of Upper Silesia has been associated mainly with mines and smelters for many years. Nowadays, it undergoes transformation, and its new industry is science. Currently, Katowice is a thriving academic centre and a place for developing new technologies and popularising research. It is a hub where chemical, biological, medical and social sciences along with technology, humanities, education, and arts are expanding. It is here that the Silesian Science Festival KATOWICE is organised, one of the greatest science communication events in Europe and the world.
The conference is organised by the Academic Consortium “Katowice – City of Science” along with the EuroScience and the City of Katowice. The consortium consists of Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice, the Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice, Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education in Katowice, the Silesian University of Technology, the Medical University of Silesia, the University of Economics in Katowice, and the University of Silesia in Katowice.
