Evaluation of Genius
- October 2003
On 21 October, the former Danish Minister for Education Margrethe Vestager was among the speakers at a seminar held in The Experimentarium in Hellerup, Denmark. The purpose of the seminar was to evaluate the Genius project – an educational initiative, which aims at generating a debate on genetic engineering among young people. It includes a youth magazine, a website, and a TV programme, among others. ”It is important that the students can draw their own conclusions about these issues on the basis of relevant information,” said Margrethe Vestager.
Pupils from Busses School in Gentofte were invited to participate in the seminar. One student, Jens Anton Tingstrøm, explained that “knowledge generates a peace of mind, which is why the Genius project is both useful and interesting.” “The most interesting part is the ethical dilemmas of genetic engineering – there are many advantages but also many dilemmas,” added another student, Signe Due Vesterheden.
A valuable partnership
Genius is the result of a partnership between the Novo Group and the Danish Society for Conservation of Nature (DN).
”I believe that partnerships between parties with different views offer a valuable platform for learning. This partnership has been important in order to provide the pupils with a more balanced presentation of the issue,” said Lise Kingo, Executive Vice President of Novo Nordisk.
Genetic engineering is a highly controversial issue, and with more than 700 pupils responding to a survey on the topic, and almost as many inquiries from interested youngsters, it seems the debate has taken off.
Visit www.geniusweb.dk, for more information about the Genius project.
