Interview

Ethics as a compass for EU innovation

Ethical reflection on innovation is necessary to continue safeguarding the values that we find so important within the European Union. This is because society is shaped to a large extent by new technology. 

Interview

The silent majority speaks

‘The “rebuilding of the Netherlands”, which is necessary to realise the Climate Agreement of the Netherlands, will not succeed with old-fashioned citizen participation. We need to modernise our toolkit’

Funding opportunity

Grant opportunities for MVI research

NWO endorses the importance of interdisciplinary research that maps out the social aspects of (technological) innovations at an early stage. Therefore, there are plenty of opportunities for MVI research within NWO.

Interview

Scenarios for faster scanning

New technology allows for major steps to be taken in the speed and results of MRI scans.

News

The value of conflict in the energy transition

Embrace conflicts. Not only do they boomerang back in your face if you ignore them, but you can also obtain valuable information from them.

News

Zo’n veertig deelnemers ontmoetten elkaar tijdens de derde community meeting van het programma Verantwoord Innoveren. Ontwerpen voor publieke waarden in een digitale wereld.

News

Additional topic for MVI top-up call ECCM

Opportunities for collaboration with researchers from the social sciences and humanities.

News

Invitation online meeting 'Meaningful Human Control'

First online community meeting on Wednesday, December 16 of the research program Designing for public values in a digital society.

News

Only strong together

Assistant Professor Johanna Höffken from Eindhoven University of Technology is infectiously enthusiastic about responsible innovation.

News

Logistics living lab for sustainable sharing

The NWO Responsible Innovation approach is increasingly integrated into research programmes.

News

Enriching digital technology with values

The use of new technology has an impact on ethical and constitutional values.

News

Matchmaking website MVI top-up call ECCM launched

In the new ECCM MVI top-up call, collaboration of the (natural sciences) tenure trackers with researchers from the humanities and social sciences takes centre stage. 

Newsarchive

The HTSM MVI top-up call creates the possibility to integrate research with MVI

The HTSM MVI top-up call offers project leaders with a HTSM 2019 grant the possibility to integrate their research into High Tech Systemen & Materialen with Responsible Innovations (MVI).

Interview

Fascinated by MVI research

Interview with Young MVI member and social scientist Lotte Krabbenborg

News

The Dutch Research Council (NWO) awards €1.5 million to socially responsible blockchain innovations

Newsarchive

Do you want to provide input for new NWO policy? Sought: members this for the SSH roundtables

The NWO Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) Domain Board wants to enter into a sustainable collaboration with the SSH research field to shape NWO policy.

Newsarchive

Funding awarded in research programme 'Designing for public values in a digital world'

The research programme “Responsible Innovation. Designing for public values in a digital world” has awarded funding to five promising research proposals for research into safeguarding public values in the design and use of new digital technology. 

Project update

About the program 'Responsible Innovation. Designing for Public Values in a Digital World'

In this digital age, it is of the utmost importance that municipalities and government ministries pay due consideration to public values in their policy.

Newsarchive

New medical technological research focused on cardiovascular diseases

This information is only available in Dutch.

Newsarchive

Pre-announcement: two calls for proposals for future-proof care

The Innovative Medical Devices Initiative (IMDI) will publish two new calls for proposals in October 2019 under the theme Technology for staffable healthcare.

Newsarchive

Funding opportunities for NWO-MVI research in 2018 and 2019

In the forthcoming period the possibilities for Responsible Innovation (MVI) research mainly lie within specific research programmes/initiatives within the top sectors. 

Interview

Expanding horizons

Interview with Peter-Paul Verbeek
In July 2019, Peter-Paul Verbeek, Professor of Philosophy of Technology at the University of Twente and member of the program council of NWO-MVI, was appointed chair of the UNESCO committee COMEST, of which he had been a member for several years.

Newsarchive

First ever professor of Ethics of Water Engineering

‘Take account of the differing opportunities available to citizens’. On Friday, 16 November, Prof. Neelke Doorn will give her inaugural address as professor of Ethics of Water Engineering.

Event

The MVI approach: a gain for society

‘If we can do better by innovation tomorrow, we have an obligation to innovate today.’ That motto from the NWO-MVI movie clip shown during 'Connecting practices' is the leading principle for the MVI-approach, illustrated member of the NWO-MVI Committee and Professor at Delft University of Technology Jeroen Van den Hoven during the closing debate.

Event

NWO organiseert op 22 november i.s.m. TKI Dinalog een voorlichtings- en matchmakingsbijeenkomst voor de tweede fase van de call Duurzame Living Labs. De bijeenkomst is in Utrecht en start om 13.30 uur. Het doel is om geïnteresseerden in de call informatie te geven en om consortiumvorming te stimuleren.

NWO-MVI platform

Young MVI: a fresh perspective

To assure that younger generations of NWO-MVI researchers are actively engaged in the MVI program Young MVI was installed, a group of young researchers from ongoing or recently finished MVI projects. President Wouter Boon – assistant professor at Utrecht University – explains the why and what of Young MVI.

NWO-MVI platform

Suggestions regarding valorisation panels

How do you convince people from public or private organisations to join the valorisation panel of your NWO-MVI project, and how do you keep them engaged?

Event

Kick-off Innovative Medical Devices Initiative 2.0

Op woensdag 18 april 2018 vond de Innovative Medical Devices Initiative (IMDI) 2.0 kick-off plaats in Utrecht. Tijdens deze middag presenteerde Hans Rietman, voorzitter van de stuurgroep IMDI 2.0, het vervolg van het IMDI subsidieprogramma. In de 2.0 versie van het IMDI zal de benadering van het NWO-programma Maatschappelijk verantwoord innoveren (MVI) een belangrijk onderdeel zijn.

NWO-MVI platform

The value of a valorisation panel

A researcher submitting a proposal to the MVI programme does not stand alone: he is supported by a valorisation panel, a group of people with practical experience.

Newsarchive

Six new consortia funded in 2018

In six new research projects the approach of the NWO-MVI programme is leading. The consortia of researchers and public and private partnes received funding of NWO and their partners, and will address complex challenges such as: How to optimise human-robot collaboration in logistic warehouses, which ethical, legal and societal issues play a role in new ways for cancer diagnostics and screening, and how can we develop a new assessment model for promoting social acceptance of sustainable energy policies?

Newsarchive

Call for Sustainable Living Labs in Logistics

Deadline 27 March 2018
Responsible innovation in real-life situations

NWO published a call for the development of consortia with which living labs in logistics can be started. The aim of this call is to stimulate the formation of viable consortia that will test and implement new solutions in a controlled real-life environment. The responsible innovation approach forms an integral part of the research into the Living Labs in this call. On the afternoon of Tuesday 6 March 2018, a matchmaking event will be held in Utrecht.

Event

Looking back on the conference Connecting Practices 2018

On Friday January 19th, the Muntgebouw in Utrecht was filled with the chatter of about 200 people, already active in the field of responsible innovation, or interested to join.

Event

Conference Connecting Practices: insights from the industry

What is there to gain for a company by engaging in responsible innovation initiatives? During the conference Connecting Practices, representatives of industry revealed a myriad of motives.

Project update

Links to miscallaneous information on and output of NWO-MVI

List of information on and output of NWO-MVI

Event

Connecting practices: sure, but how?

How does a cooperation between academic researchers and public and private partners in the field of responsible innovation come about? What are the challenges, and how to overcome them? During the conference Connecting practices, ample best practices were shared, and during several workshops possible solutions and suggestions were discussed for practical problems that can arise when working on a (sensitive) societal issue.

Newsarchive

MVI approach visible in NanoNextNL theme

Responsible innovation is increasingly being integrated in new initiatives and programs. For example, the RIVM has developed the concept Safe-by-Design in the context of the NanoNextNL consortium and its Risk Analysis and Technolpogy Assessment (RATA) theme.

Nanotechnology offers possibilities to increase the quality of life. At the same time the past has shown us that ‘unknowns’ about potential human, environmental and societal risks are raised. Attempts to address these ‘unknowns’ are generally carried out in the privacy of discussions about risks.

However, proceeding in this way will lead to questions being raised about safety issues that come along with innovations at too late a stage of innovation, and hinder the full exploitation of potential benefits. Authorities and industry want to know which information is pivotal to assess whether a nanomaterial or nanotech application is safe.

Newsarchive

Granted NWO-MVI projects 2016

Within NWO-MVI, nine new research projects, all related to the top sectors, were honored at the beginning of 2017. These projects identify early ethical and social issues of (technological) innovations, to make sure these can be taken into account in the innovation process. This increases the level of acceptance among stakeholders.

Event

Conference Connecting Practices: presentations of research projects

During the first day of the two-day NWO-MVI conference Connecting practices, researchers met for an intimate meeting at the Muntgebouw in Utrecht.

Event

Announcement: NWO-MVI conference on 19 January 2018

At the 'NWO-MVI Connecting practices' conference, the added value of the MVI approach for practice and society is central. The connection and dialogue between science, business and society is an important approach. In the plenary programme, Jeroen van den Hoven (Delft University of Technology), Luuk Klomp (Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy), Maarten-Jan Kallen (BeDataDriven) and Françoise Rost van Tonningen (Rabobank) address MVI and the digital society. There are also workshops on MVI and smart mobility, energy, and circular economy. There are also workshops on collaboration between researchers and (public and private) partners, as well as on MVI and 'Learning Communities'. During the day we work on two questions from corporates to which NWO-MVI can contribute.

NWO-MVI platform

Paulien Herder on the NWO-MVI Platform

In the section 'Uitgesproken', from the NWO magazine Hypothesis, experts respond to a new development of NWO. In November 2016, Paulien Herder (Professor of Engineering Systems Design in Energy & Industry at Delft University of Technology) responded to the announcement of a new knowledge platform on socially responsible innovation (the NWO-MVI Platform) - intended for science, business and social organisations.

NWO-MVI platform

Experience MVI! video on ethical decisions in the design process

Experience MVI with this introductory animation! The animation can be viewed with VR-glasses, but also on a computer (with your mouse it's possible to adjust the viewpoint) or on your cellphone (by moving your phone, the viewpoint changes).

Event

Impression Pitch & Date Event, May 2017

A group of researchers and other professionals interested in responsible innovation (MVI) gathered in ‘de Zilveren Vosch’ in Utrecht to familiarise with the open MVI call for proposals and to get in contact with each other. Young MVI researchers Johanna Höffken (Eindhoven University of Technology) and Wouter Boon (Utrecht University) hosted the event, together with Jasper Roodenburg (NWO).

NWO-MVI platform

Infographic on NWO-MVI approach

Identifying ethical and social issues at an early stage and taking these into account in the design process will lead to responsible innovations that enjoy broad social consensus. This approach also reduces failures or costly adaptations at a later stage.

Event

Van maandag 24 tot en met vrijdag 29 april nam NWO deel aan de grootste technologiebeurs ter wereld, de Hannover Messe. Het centrale thema van 2017 was Integrated Industry – Creating Value.

Project update

A role for emotions in design

Emotions play an important role in the debate on innovations such as wind parks, robot carers and genetically-modified food. A team of MVI researchers is investigating the role of these emotions in the design of socially-responsible innovations.

In the media

Verbeek wins World Technology Award on Ethics

In December 2016, the prestigious World Technology Award was awarded to Peter-Paul Verbeek, professor in philosophy of technology at the University of Twente.

Event

Highlights MVI-Conference 2016

On 10 June 2016, the NWO-MVI research programme organised a special EU presidency 2016 edition of its annual conference at the Amsterdam Science Park Congress Centre. The conference focused on concrete tools for applying responsible innovation and was aimed at researchers, entrepreneurs, policy makers and representatives from NGOs. Participants shared experiences and best practices. Researchers highlighted examples of current research projects within the NWO-MVI programme, which is aligned to all top sectors and the Dutch National Research Agenda.

NWO-MVI platform

Big data: threat or public good?

ICT is being used to facilitate urbanisation and enhance urban life. The City of Amsterdam is one of the Dutch cities experimenting with 'smart' streetlamps: these will have cameras, microphones, and sensors that can 'follow' citizens in the street and also perform a range of measurements (air quality, traffic congestion). Cities can also develop other ways to collect data from the behaviour of citizens. A city 'on remote control'?

Newsarchive

Handel in hoop

Should patients with no further treatment options be given access to unregistered drugs through a commercial company? And if so, under what conditions? Researchers in the NWO MVI Responsible Innovation programme are examining this question.

showcase

‘An idea whose time has come’

The Responsible Innovation programme is now entering its sixth year. In January a fourth round of research projects will start. Jeroen van den Hoven, professor of ethics and technology at Delft University and chair of the programme committee, reflects on the past five years and takes a look forwards. Kees Linse, a member of the programme committee and board member of Technology Foundation STW, adds his comments. Linse speaks from the perspective of his extensive international experience in industry.

Event

Symposium ‘Small labels, big challenges’

Het projectteam van het NWO-MVI project ‘Maatschappelijk Verantwoord Innoveren in de voedingsindustrie’ organiseerde op 26 januari 2017 een multidisciplinair symposium over gezondheidskeurmerken, getiteld ‘Small labels, big challenges’. Tijdens het symposium werden de wetenschappelijke uitdagingen achter een gezondheidskeuzemerk vanuit verschillende wetenschappelijke disciplines belicht. Het doel van het symposium was om uitwisseling en samenwerking binnen de Wageningen Universiteit te stimuleren.

NWO-MVI platform

David Molenaar: 'We aim to make clear, balanced choices'

David Molenaar, country division head Wind Power at Siemens Nederland, is involved in a Responsible Innovation study on wind power. 

NWO-MVI platform

Why Royal HaskoningDHV joined a project on emotions

Emotions in innovation processes. With his experiences as a project manager, Carl de Cock is very familiar with this subject. 'I have worked at Royal HaskoningDHV for nearly twenty years. Four years ago I stepped back from a management position and became a senior project manager. All of the projects I have been a part of since then have involved social impact or stakeholder management. I have repeatedly observed that dealing with emotions is a key success factor for finding support for a project and, when necessary, being able to make the right adjustments.'

Event

Addressing the challenges of ambiguity in responsible innovation

On a sunny Monday early April, some fifty early-career MVI-researchers met in ANNE Centraal in Utrecht for a one-day conference entitled ‘Responsible Innovation: The Challenge of Ambiguity’.

Newsarchive

Call for submissions for blockchain innovations

The call for submissions for Fundamental knowledge for responsible blockchain innovations has been launched. Multidisciplinary consortia can request funding for coherent research into socially responsible blockchain innovations as described in the Dutch Blockchain Research Agenda.

Newsarchive

Call: Designing for public values in the digital world

On 7 February, NWO published the call for proposals for the programme "Responsible innovation. Designing for public values in a digital world". This programme is a collaboration between NWO, The Hague Municipal Council, the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Justice and Security. The deadline for submitting concise (compulsory) pre-proposals is 19 March 2019.

Event

Information and matchmaking event Responsible Innovation

Friday, 12 April 2019, an information and matchmaking meeting will be organised about the programme 'Responsible Innovation. Designing for public values in a digital world'.

Newsarchive

Heart for sustainable care: call for new medical technology

Medical technology to detect cardiovascular diseases earlier, to monitor these diseases and for improved treatment is desperately needed to safeguard access to care and sufficient bedside personnel. Researchers can submit their research proposal for new medical technology until 9 April 2019 through the open call “Heart for sustainable care”. This call has been initiated by the Dutch CardioVascular Alliance (DCVA) and the Innovative Medical Devices Initiative (IMDI) and is being realised with funds from the Dutch Heart Foundation, NWO Responsible Innovation, NWO Domain Applied and Engineering Sciences (AES) and the Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (ZonMw). The budget for this call is 5 million euros.

NWO-MVI platform

Mission: NWO-MVI: Socially responsible innovation

NWO-MVI: Responsible innovation

Mission
NWO-MVI research focuses on important societal challenges and the innovations required for these. It itemises the societal aspects of these (technological) innovations at an early stage so that they can be taken into account during the design and development phase. The aim of NWO-MVI research is to realise innovations that are acceptable to society. 

Event

Save the date: Young-MVI conference

Responsible Innovation: The Challenge of Ambiguity
Monday April 8, 2019

NWO-MVI platform

Responsible Innovation for the global challenges of the 21st-century

Over the past few decades, the Netherlands has gained international recognition for its research approach for responsible innovation and new technology: MVI. 

Newsarchive

Green light for research into responsible marine biofuels

NWO has approved a project within the Value from Biomass programme. This project focuses on research into the use of biomass to produce maritime biofuels. The multidisciplinary research is led by Dr. Lotte Asveld of Delft University of Technology and will start in 2020.

Newsarchive

Twitter account @NWO_MVI integrated with Twitter account @NWO_SSH

The Twitter account of MVI (@NWO_MVI) will be integrated with the Twitter account of the NWO domain Social Sciences and Humanities on 15 March 2020: @NWO_SSH.

Newsarchive

Opportunities for Responsible Innovation research in the new KIC

The Knowledge and Innovation Covenant (KIC) of the Dutch Research Agenda (NWA) will be the large NWO instruments for the coming years

Newsarchive

Call MVI top-up for High Tech Systems & Materials research reopened

In 2019, 22 projects were awarded funding in the annual call of High Tech Systems & Materials (HTSM).

Project update

Valorisation panel accelerates research into potato innovation

How does a new approach to potato breeding contribute to world food security, sustainable ambitions, and the economic viability of the potato sector?

showcase

Community: exchange and development

News

Trust: an exploration from within the programme

Impression of community meeting 19 april 2021
Responsible Innovation. Designing for Public Values in a Digital World

In april about 25 specialists from science and policy came together in a community meeting by the NWO programma 'Responsible Innovation,  Designing for Public Values in a Digital World’ to discuss the theme of trust.

Interview

Increasing our control over the technology that shapes us

Interview with researcher Niels ten Oever

As a society, we trust digital infrastructures. The standards that these structures must satisfy to be able to cooperate with each other are almost invisible. It is often incorrectly assumed that standards are neutral. Postdoc researcher Niels ten Oever (University of Amsterdam) contributes to the project “Making the hidden visible: Co-designing for public values in standards-making and governance”. The leader of this project is Stefania Milan. In the project, the researchers are studying exactly how the development of standards works and how governments and citizens can gain more control over this.