How do we tackle loneliness in a digitized world? How can we become more sustainable in a just way? Finding fair and effective solutions for such complex issues requires knowledge and experience from many different angles. The Science with Society (SwS) project brings these different perspectives together by connecting local residents, welfare organisations, policy makers, students and scientists. We exchange ideas and acquire new knowledge together, which we then convert into research agendas and practical advice for policy.
This project is a collaboration between VU Athena, VoorUit, OBA en HvA.
We organise two events:
SwS Festival
Round table discussions, entertainment, exchange, inspiration, and interaction on various societal themes occurred at the event which took place in June 2023. The societal themes included:
- The energy transition
- Mental strength
- (Green) living spaces
- Local food production
Outcomes of the Student & City Dialogue that occurred in December 2022 were shared during the SwS Festival. Residents, local organisations, and policy makers from various neighbourhoods (including Geuzenveld, Banne Buiksloot and Ganzenhoef) came together to further realise approaches to the subjects: Are we implementing a 'fair energy transition' and 'space for mental strength' in the right way? What role can policy makers play in this? The outcomes of this meeting can be found at the bottom of this page.
Student & City in Dialogue
This meeting took place in December 2022, and will take place again in Dec 2023. Students from the VU and the HvA sat down with local residents to discuss two societal issues:
- Fair energy transition
- Space for mental strength
Based on these discussions, we determined which aspects, according to local residents, should be further investigated. The outcomes of this meeting can be found at the bottom of this page.