Conference Agenda

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become an integral part of social innovation, transforming public sector operations, citizen participation, and education systems. This presentation examines how AI can drive social change while raising ethical, transparency, and inclusivity concerns. It explores the opportunities and challenges of AI applications in the public sector, the role of universities and research institutions in the innovation ecosystem, and the importance of citizen engagement in developing responsible and sustainable AI solutions. Based on reports from the European Court of Auditors and the OECD, the analysis focuses on how EU policies shape AI regulation, how different countries integrate AI into their public services, and what the prospects for community involvement are. The presentation offers an interdisciplinary perspective on AI-driven social innovation, emphasizing the need to critically assess the societal impact of technology and promote democratic models of innovation governance.

Researching and facilitating societal innovation include, like any human activity, an ethical dimension. Researchers and advocates for innovation are not only obliged to comply with legal provisions, but also with binding requirements of scientific associations and funding institutions. The regulations are not only intended to protect the right to informational self-determination, but also to avoid harm to the researched persons, researchers and society. Familiarity with ethical standards and their appropriate application has now become a basic prerequisite and practical aspect relevant for design, implementation and dissemination. Due to the fragmented requirements of a large number of actors, it has almost become a science in itself. In my contribution, I present a toolkit for "ethical benchmarking" with which the ethical standards of scientific work can be systematically considered. The tookit consist of five steps with a transversal component. It builds on existing approaches such as the European and national requirements addressing data protection (General Data Protection Regulation), the EU Agenda for Reliable and Responsible Research (RRI) or the FAIR principles guiding the handling of data (findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable). It also includes approaches developed by science organisations such as CARE-ACT (researchers are supported to consider context; anticipate impacts; reflect on purposes, positionality and power; engage inclusively; and act responsibly and transparently). As a transversal component, it is recommended to apply the criteria of Critique Guided Designing (CGD) (e.g.ethically preferable, practically feasible, politically acceptable) when assessing the impact of research projects.

Empathy, defined as the ability to understand and share the emotions of others (Davis, 1983), constitutes a foundational element of emotional intelligence (Goleman, 1995) and plays a critical role in childhood social development and has far-reaching implications for societal transformation. This presentation examines the mechanisms through which empathy development in children can serve as a catalyst for long-term societal innovation and change. Grounded in developmental psychology frameworks (Hoffman, 2000; Zahn-Waxler et al., 1992), we explore empathy's cognitive and affective dimensions and their trajectory in childhood. Empirical evidence suggests that fostering empathy is linked to enhanced prosocial behaviours, emotional regulation, and conflict-resolution skills (Denham, 2006; Eisenberg & Lennon, 1983). Furthermore, the integration of Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) frameworks (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning [CASEL], 2020) and targeted interventions for social and emotional skills development demonstrate measurable improvements in children’s empathic capacities and social competence. We will also discuss the crucial role of teachers and parents in children’s SESs development (BE-Self project). The broader societal implications of early empathy development are discussed, highlighting its potential to enhance social cohesion, civic engagement, and innovative responses to global challenges, including inequality and environmental sustainability (Capraro & Cococcioni, 2015; Björkman & Zetterberg, 2018). By synthesizing theoretical perspectives and empirical findings, this presentation underscores the necessity of embedding SESs development-focused curricula in childhood education as a strategic pathway to foster social innovation and resilience in future generations.