Noc ima svojo moc (The Night has its Might), Euripean Researchers' Night (NIGHT)

Project Information

NOCMOC

Grant agreement ID: 101036137

DOI

10.3030/101036137

Project closed

EC signature date 3 May 2021

Start date 1 April 2021

End date 30 November 2021

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 204 687,50

EU contribution

€ 204 062,50

Coordinated by

USTANOVA HISA EKSPERIMENTOV
Slovenia

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - NOCMOC (Noc ima svojo moc (The Night has its Might), Euripean Researchers' Night (NIGHT))

Reporting period: 2021-04-01 to 2021-11-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The project »The Night has its Might« No. 101036137 addresses the problem of how to motivate (young) EU citizens for scientific research. Three different tools implement the answer: Citizen Science Project, diverse integrative and interactive activities at the NIGHT, and supporting promotion campaign.
The project's importance for Slovenian and EU society is to enhance interest in scientific research among various interest groups.
Citizens' Science Project, an awareness campaign that focuses on a relevant and problematic science issue, enhances scientific research among EU citizens. Citizens get acquainted with research methods, tools, and implementation of research results.
Several EU corners took place at the events NIGHT To promote the EU dimension and motivate, enhance and integrate active and potential MSCA's in Slovenia.
The project focuses on active, genuine, and spontaneous interest in science among young EU citizens. It also focuses on a relevant scientific issue that gets highlighted and generates structured results. The approach addresses the scientific problem, and citizens can actively participate in research and search for solutions. The EU society can participate in active scientific research and engage in different participation ways throughout the project.
The project's objectives, to:
• bring researchers closer to the general public
• increase awareness of research and innovation activities
• support public recognition of researchers
• create an understanding of the impact of researchers' work on citizen daily life
• encourage young people to embark on research careers
Involve addressing more than 0.7 Mio people through a media campaign, more than 3000 individuals, and other groups of interest in 27 cities along with the Republic of Slovenia. The objectives contribute to the primary research methodology of the actual research project.
The success of NOCMOC includes in surplus of sites and organizations involved. The project's success reflects the excess of media reach.
The diversity of participating organizations also shows that organizations' interest has resulted in a surplus of participating entities. 27% more participating entities were involved in the NIGHT in 2021. The project also attracted 40% more supporting entities, which shows that the project successfully promoted science's popularization in Slovenia in 2021.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The main results anticipated and achieved were:

- Information about the project reached over 0,7 Mio of EU citizens
- The event took place in 27 locations
- The citizens' participation at the ERN events was high regardless of the COVID situation
- Various communication channels successfully implemented the exploitation of the information (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, partnering web pages, newsletters, etc.)
- The exceeded number of participating entities by 27%
- The exceeded number of supporting partners by 40%
- The partnering consortium carried out successful Citizen's Science project
- The participation of MSCAs was lower than expected so the partnering consortium decided to include MSCAs also for activities in schools and to strengthen cooperation with international associated partners for the future events to diminish the possible future difference of envisaged and actual MSCAs participation

The Citizens' Science project results exploitation was integrated into society by different active forms; from the ICT application to collect the data to school lessons in Slovenian language, arts, physics in school, also prepared practical lessons for kindergarten kids. A workbook for the general public was developed and distributed throughout the project along with the research toolkits.
We have distributed the project results via interviews, science cafes, exhibitions, presentations, (virtual) open doors of the institutions, EU corners, and media tools.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Project's progress beyond state of the art reflects in the continuous growth of:
• Interest for citizens' research by various groups
• Interest for NOCMOC activities by various groups
• Interest for participation by participating entities and supporting partners and media
• The number of informed citizens
• The number of interested citizens
• The number of participating organizations, institutions, municipalities, cities, media
• The number of citizens who choose the participation in the NOCMOC activities by deliberate choice

The potential project's impacts on the socio-economic implications show that the project's actions influence the choice of profession among the young the most. This fact supports the analysis of the interviewed visitors– largest portion were primary school pupils and secondary school students. Many of whom visited the event within their school curriculum, which indicates that schools are recognising the value in participating in the events.
Broader societal implications of the project so far further show that our activities are less and less coincidental, so we can say that the general public got aware of the continuity of our project for the last four years.
The questionnaires show that, visitors were impressed mostly by interactive, fun and entertaining activities (experiments, demonstrations, workshops, etc.). They also liked the interesting themes and scientific content, which were presented to children as well as to adults in an understandable and accessible way. Interviewed visitors were also impressed by the researchers themselves.
Outputs of the project, events itself, and awareness campaign are resulting in public recognition of research and innovation and more positive attitude towards it.
Through researchers' training and showcasing the research and innovation results that translate directly to the public, we effectively presented how vital research and innovation in Slovenia is.
The science and its economic and societal impact on society as the core of our endeavors is not just fun; it also endures will, enhances critical thinking, and demands research activities.