Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why Technology Assessment?
2. What subjects does TA-SWISS deal with?
3. Who does TA-SWISS work for ?
4. Who pays for the work of TA-SWISS ?
5. How does TA-SWISS work ?
6. What do TA-SWISS studies achieve ?
7. What do TA-SWISS discussion forums achieve?
8. What happens to the results obtained by TA-SWISS ?
9. How is TA-SWISS organised ?
10. Who does TA-SWISS collaborate with ?

1. Why Technology Assessment?
Science and research are constantly creating new areas of knowledge, and at an ever-increasing pace. These are translated into new developments and technologies. Scientific advances are based on technological innovation. On the one hand, new technologies open up new opportunities, but on the other hand also imply risks. The task of Technology Assessment (TA) is to help to minimise the possible risks and at the same time to keep the opportunities of new technologies in sight. TA works out fundamental principles in a pre-political context to aid legislators in decision-making (creation and amendment of laws). TA provides an orientation guide in the jungle of the new technologies. TA is an attempt to look into the future and to compensate for the lack of specific knowledge. Instead of flying blind into the techno-future, going into it with a clear vision of what is to come.

2. What subjects does TA-SWISS deal with?
TA-SWISS deals with new and particularly controversial technologies that concern a large part of the population and that could lead to a need for new regulations. TA-SWISS concentrates on three main subjects: biotechnology and medicine, nanotechnologies, and the information society.

3. Who does TA-SWISS work for?
TA-SWISS is an instrument of political consultancy. The main target groups are therefore the Swiss Parliament, the Federal Government, and the authorities. The work of TA-SWISS is also aimed at other people and institutions who are interested in science and technology issues. The independence of TA-SWISS is crucial for it to carry out its tasks as credibly as possible.

4. Who pays for the work of TA-SWISS?
The budget of TA-SWISS amounts to approx. CHF 1.1 million per year and is covered by public money. Approx. 30% of the budget comes from partnerships with sponsoring organisations and authorities (e.g. Federal Offices, Academies, National Science Foundation). These resources cover all projects and staff expenses.

5. How does TA-SWISS work?
The public financing guarantees that TA-SWISS works as impartially and as independently as possible. In order to do its work competently, TA-SWISS turns to specialists from universities and private consultancies. The work of TA-SWISS is based on three different pillars:

Wide ranging interdisciplinary studies (expert studies)
Discussion forums with citizens (citizens’ reports)
Communication of results (abridged versions, events, website etc.).

In carrying out its projects, TA-SWISS relies on a broad network of international specialists and on its relations with other TA-Offices in Europe. The quality of its work is assured by support groups. All these processes are fixed and transparent for outsiders, again in order to ensure the credibility of the results of TA-SWISS. The Steering Committee is the strategic supervisory organ of TA-SWISS.

6. What do TA-SWISS studies achieve?
The aim of the studies is to make a contribution to the political decision-making process. TA-SWISS studies summarise, as broadly as possible, the state of scientific knowledge and the foreseeable developments of a given technology. This means that an interdisciplinary inventory of the possible social, economic, ecological, ethical and legal consequences is drawn up. The opportunities and risks of new technologies should be presented as independently as possible. All the studies include recommendations for legislators or for other affected groups. The extensive studies are accompanied by an easy-to-read abridged version. Before a TA-SWISS study is published, it is reviewed by at least two experts in the subject, who produce an assessment. 14.05.2008evel, apart from the quality control function of the support group and of the Steering Committee.

7. What do TA-SWISS discussion forums achieve?
The aim of the TA-SWISS discussion forums is to make a contribution to the political decision-making process. The professionally moderated discussion forums give citizens a voice in the technological debate. The participatory processes used by TA-SWISS (PubliForum, publifocus, PubliTalk), the cost of which varies, focus on identifying potentially explosive issues and on formulating recommendations by informed citizens (PubliForum), on gathering the whole spectrum of opinions and the various arguments (publifocus), or on identifying variations in the different language regions and getting the opinion of concerned persons (publifocus and PubliTalk). Policy-makers tend to listen only to the opinions of experts. It is however important that the lay point of view is also integrated. The TA-SWISS discussion forums do not claim to be representative, but they produce qualitative results: what are the questions that citizens who have no specific self-interest ask themselves? What do citizens actually want?

8. What happens to the results obtained by TA-SWISS?
TA-SWISS does its best to avoid the results of its projects ending up forgotten in a drawer. For this reason, communication plays a significant role. This means, in concrete terms, that:

extensive expert studies are circulated in the form of generally easy-to-understand abridged versions;
each project is accompanied by press coverage, from beginning to end;
the results are publicly presented in events and controversial issues offered for discussion;
a periodical newsletter and regularly updated information on the website add to this coverage.

Events are also organised specifically for members of the Swiss Parliament, and contacts with the relevant parliamentary committees ensure that the results are transmitted as directly as possible.

9. How is TA-SWISS organised?
TA-SWISS was established in 1992. On top of this there are 1 external collaborator and 1 to 2 trainee(s)). The Office is responsible for the operational activities of TA-SWISS. The supervisory organ is the TA-SWISS Steering Committee. It is responsible for the strategic management (definition of the key thematic areas, selection of subjects, and release of the reports). This body comprises 14 personalities from the economic, scientific, social or political sphere. Federal Offices and other administrative units are also represented. A support group, and, on a case by case basis, a sponsoring group, is formed to run the projects. TA-SWISS is a Centre for Excellence of the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences.

10. Who does TA-SWISS collaborate with?
In Switzerland, TA-SWISS works closely, depending on the subject, with different organisations and authorities. These include Federal Offices, scientific organisations, or non-governmental organisations. At the international level, TA-SWISS belongs to various networks of Technology Assessment institutions. The aim of these networks is to exchange information and experiences and to avoid double tracking of the subjects. Examples of these networks are EPTA (European Parliamentary Technology Assessment Network) and INAHTA (International Association of Health Technology Assessment). In recent years, TA-SWISS has played an active part in European research projects and contributed its own experiences.

Last update: 14.05.2008 nbz