Europe has several issues it needs to address to improve social wellbeing and its economic competitiveness. These include improving scientific literacy amongst its population, increasing the uptake of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) careers and enhancing the transferable skills of current researchers. In Malta, the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) placed Malta 40th out of 50 countries, while a recent report commissioned by the Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST) showed that over half of the Maltese public are disinterested in Science especially those who are retired, unemployed, responsible for home duties and/or have a secondary level of education or lower. The STEAMed consortium will bring together the best higher education institutions performing science communication across Europe. Through the exchange of best practice an intensive study programme will be created that will train students and researchers to engage the public. This will be supplemented by a long-term training assignment were participants will continue practicing and perfecting the skills they learnt by joining science communication activities. The activities have a dual purpose of enhancing the intensive study programme’s training but also providing an innovative form of informal education. The various science communication activities will be targeted towards school children: primary (5–10) and secondary (11–15) school children and various public groups: teenagers (16–19) youths (20–30), young and established professionals, and pensioners—as dependent on the activity. Reaching the wider community through informal education is in line with the 2011 EU Modernisation Agenda. The training and informal education approaches will be innovative by involving interactive experiments and incorporating the arts. By using an informal approach and making things interactive will help engage low achievers. The intensive study programme developed is intended to be sustained beyond the study programme. STEAMed will help consolidate science communication activities and bring together best practices from each participant countries while developing a new programme for the coordinating country that will help build the skills of participants being trained and attendees of the activities.

Innovative solutions to society’s challenges need to be developed with the involvement of all stakeholders through a dynamic, iterative, mutually responsible process. To achieve this, greater understanding of required stakeholder interactions as well as their needs and concerns is required. Societal engagement in nanotechnology has been tackled previously. However, prior learning needs to be brought together and built on by addressing shortcomings identified, particularly putting in place a sustainable means for this to continue. NANO2TRUST will establish a European-wide sustainable platform for mutual learning and informed dialogue among all stakeholders (researchers including social sciences and humanities, industry/ business, the public including Civil Society Organisations and the media, as well as policy-makers and research funders) to improve transparency and societal engagement in responsible nanotechnology. Engaged through European-wide initiatives, as well as via an online platform making full use of current communication technologies, stakeholders will exchange best practice (e.g. from ObservatoryNano, NanoOpinion, NanoEIS and Nanodiode, among others). They will also develop their understanding of responsible research and innovation (RRI) and its tools (e.g. based on EthicSchool and RRI Tools). Based on this, through national and EU level dialogue, stakeholders will develop an action plan (MLAP) with a shared vision on existing and potential future benefits and risks of advancing nanotechnology including ways to support RRI along the value chain. Systemic engagement of policy-makers and relevant communities will facilitate “buy-in” through co-development of roadmaps to drive future Joint Stakeholder Undertakings, such as the Nanofutures ETP. This will result in a permanent platform for future development of trust, awareness and inclusion, providing guidance on societal needs and concerns, and fuelling co-innovation that benefits society as a whole.