Societal Engagement implies:

• The establishment of iterative and inclusive participatory multi-actor dialogues between researchers, policy makers, industry and civil society organisations, NGOs, and citizens;

• To foster mutual understanding and co-create research and innovation outcomes and policy agendas effective in tackling societal challenges

• Fostering wider acceptability of results.

Societal engagement leads to multiple benefits:

• It contributes to building a more scientifically literate society able to actively participate in and support democratic processes, and science and technology developments;

• It injects differing perspectives and creativity in research design and results;

• It contributes to fostering more societally relevant and desirable research and innovation outcomes to help us tackle societal challenges.