The SHARPER 2024/2025 project represents the European Researchers’ Night across 15 Italian cities (Ancona, Bari, Cagliari, Camerino, Catania, Genoa, L'Aquila, Macerata, Nuoro, Palermo, Pavia, Perugia, Sassari, Terni, and Trieste). It forms part of the broader ERN international cultural initiative aimed at strengthening dialogue between citizens and researchers. The SHARPER acronym stands for SHAring Researchers’ Passion for Education and Rights, highlighting the urgent need to promote inclusive access to education and cultural opportunities. This commitment is reflected in dedicated actions such as the “Researchers at Schools” work package and underscores the importance of reaching audiences beyond those traditionally involved in science-related activities. Through a wide range of engagement approaches and communication formats, people of all ages have had the opportunity to meet researchers from diverse disciplines, gaining insight into how research connects with everyday life and contributes to society as a whole. The core objectives of SHARPER are to:
- help students better understand the world of research and inspire them to pursue scientific careers, actively contributing to the future;
- equip teachers with effective tools to strengthen dialogue between researchers and younger generations;
- foster social inclusion within research processes by overcoming social and cultural barriers;
- encourage young people to consider research as a meaningful career path;
- present researchers as inspiring role models, driven by curiosity, passion, and expertise;
- communicate the essential role of research in addressing major global challenges;
- promote strong partnerships between researchers and citizens to support knowledge-based innovation;
- harness researchers’ enthusiasm and emotions to make science accessible and understandable to everyone;
- build a national community of researchers who are also skilled communicators, connected at the European level with fellow science communicators.
The project’s expected qualitative impact is to strengthen collaboration among all stakeholders, ultimately enhancing meaningful and lasting engagement between citizens and the research community.
