INFORMATIE viWTA (home) Technology Assessment Parliament & TA Scientific staff  DOCUMENTS Publications Innovation  PROJECTS Project summaries Public participation Calendar Useful Links  EPTA Converging technologies	Technology Assessment (TA) Technology Assessment (TA) is a relatively new, multidisciplinary field of research, trying to chart the social implications of technological innovations. It deals with the promises as well as the challenges posed by such developments, in the ethical, medical, socio-economic, cultural and ecological sphere. TA can take many forms. Research projects and expert polls are traditional means of surveying long-term implications. Another, newer approach in TA is to involve the general public in the debate. In the end they will be confronted with the new technology, making them into a sort of expert witnesses. A number of participative methods and techniques allow gauging the public opinion on these developments. As a Flemish parliamentary institution, the viWTA is highly interested in the participative approach, without neglecting the traditional methods. By combining scientific research and public involvement, the viWTA wishes to support the Members of the Flemish Parliament in the often complex decisions about science and technology. This will allow policy-making to be in touch with society. TA is just as international as science and technology. Most parliaments in Europe have for some years had an institution that supports policymaking about new scientific and technological developments. These institutions are united in the EPTA Network (European Parliamentary Technology Assessment Network) of which the viWTA is a member. The viWTA is not on its own, but is surrounded by the experience of several sister institutions.
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