Science for Global Challenges

Project Information

SCIGLO

Grant agreement ID: 101162576

DOI

10.3030/101162576

Project closed

EC signature date 2 April 2024

Start date 1 May 2024

End date 31 January 2026

Funded under

• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)

Total cost

No data

EU contribution

€ 299 019,37

Coordinated by

UNIVERSIDADE DE LISBOA
Portugal

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SCIGLO (Science for Global Challenges)

Reporting period: 2024-05-01 to 2026-01-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

This project uses the motto “Science for Global Challenges” (SCIGLO) as a point of departure to achieve two main goals: (i) raise Portuguese citizens’ awareness, particularly young people, towards innovation and research being conducted in Europe to overcome social, economic, and environmental challenges, while preserving communities, ecosystems and natural resources; (ii) bring researchers closer to civil society and students, enabling meaningful opportunities for communities to express concerns and expectations about how research and science face global challenges and promote sustainable growth. This direct connection with people's concerns allowed simple contact among all social players, responding to Responsible, Research & Innovation (RRI) goals. The consortium of this project, coordinated by the University of Lisbon through the National Museum of Natural History and Science (MUHNAC-ULisbon), combined efforts between researchers of major universities in Portugal – University of Minho, University of Lisbon, Nova University in Lisbon, University of Évora, the Lisbon University Institute and the University of Coimbra. The International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory activities allowed a direct approach to green technology. The Higher Institute for Tourism and Hotel Studies in Estoril contributed to promoting biodiversity conservation while disseminating sustainable tourism and food security practices. The Lisbon municipality was a central partner for engaging of diverse audiences in the city square near the MUHNAC and civil society stakeholders. This joined expertise was determinant to promote a mixed onsite and online program possible: the onsite received 1737 participants in build-up activities (also targeting researchers) and 8650 participants in ERN event in the four different venues from North to South of Portugal, bridging the gap between researchers and society and contributing to bringing societal actors together for the research and innovation process; the online program included 31 national online activities from different scientific backgrounds in the ERN including 1302 participants. The Researchers at school program was developed since September 2024, and activities started in the current school year with the delivery of 82 activities until December 2024, including the participation of more than 10 680 students and 766 researchers. A full day build-up event targeting schools in the week previous to ERN - School’s Open Day – also included 328 students and 28 researchers.

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 ERN2024 edition matched pre-pandemic conditions. Nevertheless, following the good results of the ERN 2023, a mixed onsite and online program was developed to focus on the global challenges that scientific projects may overcome, among all areas: Natural and Environmental Sciences, Physics and Chemistry, Technology, Health Sciences, Social and Human Sciences, Architecture, Arts and Design.
Both the build-up and the ERN event highlighted advantages from both contexts: the online event provided the opportunity to discuss and interact directly with researchers for participants who could not visit onsite, being a factor of inclusion, while the onsite made it possible to include participatory activities. The build-up activities received 1737 onsite participants and 201 researchers were involved in those, including 77 as participants of a training activity. The four onsite venues received people from North to South of Portugal, 8650 participants in total, and the online format allowed the transversal work to present a national program using the SCIGLO website and social network channels, developed by the teamwork in between Universities and partners, aiming to join a national expertise to reach the participants unable to participate onsite, 1302 in total; 2416 and 78 researchers were involved onsite and online, respectively.
The build-up and ERN events in the four cities included a large heterogeneity of public and private areas where the onsite event took place (e.g. streets, gardens, squares, shops, historic buildings, and institutions), highlighting relevance of taking a large number of activities to the city streets. The Researchers at school program was developed and activities started in the current school year with excellent acceptance and the delivery of 82 activities until December 2024, including the participation of more than 10680 students and 766 researchers. The School’s online Open Day included 328 students and 28 researchers, within 12 activities..

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)

The number of researchers involved in the onsite and online build-up and ERN events, and in the Researchers at school program was higher than the previous edition. Activities in the open air and using the city streets as the main stage are to be continued, once they reach more heterogeneous and numerous audiences, nevertheless collecting data for impact assessment in such places can be more difficult. This mixed format is proposed to be continued in future editions, considering the success achieved in optimizing inclusion, conveying the message, and participation.

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