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..
