Models of horizon scanning: how to integrate horizon scanning into European research and innovation policies

Forward-looking activities aim to better anticipate future opportunities or threats, and to identify issues that are of major importance for the future and the present. Debates about future issues help to understand what is relevant and what can be ignored now. Horizon Scanning has an important role in forward-looking activities: it serves to explore futures, ‘emerging issues’ and signals of all kinds, and to evaluate the importance of ‘things to come’. During the last few years, different ‘Models of Horizon Scanning’ have been developed; method-combinations have been tested and implemented. Specific ‘Horizon Scanning’ institutions have been set up in some countries. Horizon Scanning (HS) approaches mainly serve to enhance resilient policy-making, address policy makers’ needs and concerns regarding new issues, to identify business opportunities by anticipating consumer and societal needs or to prepare society for less expected or rapid changes