International Foresight Academy

During the past 30 years in Europe, Foresight has become an unconventional means of political priority setting and strategic decision making that affect a wide set of societal stakeholders. The added value of foresight is seen in the shared goals and visions among a group of participating actors from different sectors, the development of networks, and the combination of relevant information on current trends and future developments with actor-based information and attitudes. Many foresight practitioners value the possibility granted by foresight exercises to bring topics on the political agenda that need to be discussed not behind closed doors but with broad public involvement.

The project consists of two parts: a research part dedicated to the issue of foresight as a format of participation in different democratic traditions; and a second part that manages the networking of the partners doing research on the foresight field with regard to democracy and participation. The network involves activities such as mutual exchange among the partners, summer/winter schools for early stage researchers, academic seminars and final conference. The outreach of some of these activities will address additional actors as well, e.g. stakeholders, organizers, practitioners of foresight exchanging knowledge in the envisaged conferences. 

Last edited: 18 August 2015