ZnAnosT za vsE (Research for all)

Project Information

ZATE

Grant agreement ID: 101036173

DOI

10.3030/101036173

Project closed

EC signature date 3 May 2021

Start date 1 May 2021

End date 31 December 2021

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 205 946,50

EU contribution

€ 199 520,00

Coordinated by

UNIVERZA V MARIBORU
Slovenia

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - ZATE (ZnAnosT za vsE (Research for all))

Reporting period: 2021-05-01 to 2021-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Project acronym ZATE, in English translation, means “For you” which reminds us that all the science efforts are dedicated to the welfare and well-being of each of us, which makes researchers heroes of society.
Main idea is to build the bridge to future generations of researchers with the key message “everyone can become a researcher” (hero) and to raise the public awareness, of science importance for society’s existence, wellbeing and welfare and the importance/recognition of researchers’ role in it by giving them twofold insight:
- through spreading information using audio/video material, written messages during intensive awareness campaigns (AC) and
- through their personal experience, by giving them the opportunity through main event and pre-events (part of AC) for socializing with scientists in a relaxed atmosphere, where visitors themselves can ask various questions about the research and innovation project results, which can give them a better understanding of research and innovation work and research profession. We believe that a combination of a twofold approach is the best way to challenge and gradually leave stereotypes related to researchers and scientists in the past.
Main objectives are:
- To bring researchers closer to the general public.
- To increase awareness of research and innovation activities.
- To support the public recognition of researchers.
- To create an understanding of the impact of researchers' work on citizen's daily life.
- To encourage young people to embark on research careers.

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

WP1 – Preparation and implementation of the awareness campaign:
Main target groups:
- Public at large regardless of age and scientific background will be addressed through two subgroups.
- Primary group targets: preschool children, pupils, primary and secondary school, college and university students, employees of the universities and teachers in kindergartens, primary and secondary schools.
- Secondary group targets: parents and families, pensioners, employees in public institutions, aprofessional public audience, business audience, other local public and civil society, off-line and on-line media.
Communication tools: offline and online.
- Pre-events programme, incl. national online press conferences, releases.
- Various types of online and hybrid activities: workshops, open-door days, exhibitions, round table, quiz, after mailings referred to above based on their feedback; primary and secondary group (June – September 2021).
- National award competition: Researcher - by rail to a green future; 184 various competitive literary and art products were gathered, created by 176 various authors from kindergartens, secondary and primary schools, out of which best three were awarded in each of the category (kindergarten, primary schools (1-3, 4-6, 7-9 school year), secondary schools).
- Popular science communication-train the trainers and multipliers programme, incl. Tool-kit.
WP2: Preparation and implementation of the Activities during the NIGHT
Venues:
Maribor: Shopping mall Europark, Vetrinjski dvor (Vetrinjski Mansion)
Koper: UP Rectorate, UP FAMNIT, UP Faculty of Humanities, Mythic Park Rodik,
Izola: Archaeological Park Simonov zaliv (Simon’s Bay), UP Faculty of health sciences, University campus Livade,
Nova Gorica: Bevk square.
List of the types of activities: Exhibitions, Experiments, Guided tours, Hands-on activities, Informal talk to researchers, Seminars, Didactic consultations, Workshops, Film viewing, National reward competition reward ceremony, concert performance, Rock bands performances (UM researchers are members), Presentations, Quizzes, Round tables, Science shows, …
Due to pandemic restrictions, we implemented a combination of onsite, online and hybrid activities. Estimated 800.000 people were made aware of the European Researchers’ night and its objectives.
WP3-Preparation and implementation of the impact assessment
We conducted 5 inter-related studies
1. Perception of Slovenian researchers and science among scientific journalists and assessment of the impact of science on the public among scientific journalists.
2. Perception of science and researchers among residents of Slovenia.
3. Visitors' satisfaction with the ERN main event survey.
4. Perception of 'researchers' impact on everyday life in Slovenia and their position in working and living environment among researchers employed with the consortium universities.
5. Perception of the importance of popular science communication and importance of the researchers' participation in events such as the ERN among researchers involved in ERN project at the consortium universities.
WP4: management
Management of financial, administrative and legal aspects was assured throughout the project implementation. The Consortium Agreement was signed. The financial/administrative coordinator (a representative of UM’s Project Office) has been continuously interfacing with EU services (negotiation, reporting), providing support to partners in all financial, administrative, and legal matters and have prepared guidelines for reporting costs and monitored spending. Ongoing support was offered by other UM’s administrative departments, especially PR, financial, legal&HR.

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)

Increase in the awareness of the importance of research and innovation: ca 50 % of the respondents from the public sample fully agree that science is useful for society; ca. 40 % of the same respondents strongly agree that science contributes to Slovenia's development. Almost 90 % of scientific journalists estimate that science is essential for the development of society, and almost 50% believe that science is responsible towards society and the environment. Sixty per cent of the same respondents estimated that science is strongly future-oriented.
The more favourable general attitude towards its funding: Residents estimated that science is, after all, an underpaid activity (14%) or at least partially an underpaid activity (23%). One-third of the scientific journalists believe that science is at least partially an underpaid activity and favour increasing the amount of funding for science.
A better understanding of the key benefits that research brings to society: Respondents perceive Slovenian researchers as very useful for society (49%), future-oriented (49%;), work-oriented and hard-working (51 %), and responsible towards society and the environment (36,2 %). The scientific journalists assessed that researcher are useful for society, future-oriented and responsible towards society and the environment.
Reduction in the stereotypes about researchers: Science journalists responded that researchers are by no means perceived as useless, lazy or distracted. As many as nine-tenths of the surveyed scientific journalists rated the researchers as very useful to the community, as future-oriented and well-organised individuals with an appropriate level of personal integrity. Respondents from the sample of the general population of Slovenia had a similar opinion.
Increase of people taking up research careers: 22,2 % of respondents from the general population answered "definitely yes ", and another 60 % answered »probably yes« when asked whether they would choose a research profession for their careers (or whether they would advise their child on that profession). Researcher as profession represents a good choice for one-fifth of the respondents, and the profession itself is interesting for three-quarters of the respondents.

Model of the Slovenian electric power system: renewable and conventional sources.