Periodic Reporting for period 1 - EUCYS2025 (European Union Contest for Young Scientists 2025)
Berichtszeitraum: 2025-04-01 bis 2026-01-31
The 36th European Union Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS 2025), hosted in Riga from 15 to 20 September 2025. For the first time, Latvia became the host country of this flagship European initiative funded by the European Commission and organised by the State Education Development Agency. By bringing together 133 young scientists aged 14–20 from 37 countries and presenting 90 research projects across a wide range of STEAM fields, EUCYS 2025 provided a structured European platform for scientific excellence and cross-border cooperation.
The overall objective of the contest was to foster scientific excellence among young people and strengthen international cooperation in science and education. Participants were given the opportunity to present their research at European level, receive evaluation from an international expert jury and engage in professional dialogue with peers and researchers from different countries.
The event was honoured by the presence of the Prime Minister of Latvia, Evika Siliņa, Head of the Representation of the European Commission in Latvia, Andris Kužnieks and the Minister for Education and Science, Dace Melbārde.
The award ceremony, held at the historic Splendid Palace cinema, marked the culmination of the contest. The European Commission awarded four First Prizes, four Second Prizes and four Third Prizes, recognising outstanding research in biology, medicine, physics, mathematics and engineering. In addition, a Special Jury Award and a Special Jury Award for Youth were presented. More than 20 special prizes were granted by leading European and international research institutions.
The contest achieved significant public visibility. National and international media coverage and digital communication activities. More than 500 Latvian pupils, teachers and students visited the exhibition in Riga.
The expected impact of EUCYS 2025 extends beyond the competition week. At European level, the project EUCYS2025 strengthened cross-border cooperation, reinforced Europe’s role as a supportive environment for young scientific talent and increased awareness of youth research achievements. See EUCYS2025 video https://www.eucys2025.eu/en/about/videos/(öffnet in neuem Fenster)
The overall objective of the contest was to foster scientific excellence among young people and strengthen international cooperation in science and education. Participants were given the opportunity to present their research at European level, receive evaluation from an international expert jury and engage in professional dialogue with peers and researchers from different countries.
The event was honoured by the presence of the Prime Minister of Latvia, Evika Siliņa, Head of the Representation of the European Commission in Latvia, Andris Kužnieks and the Minister for Education and Science, Dace Melbārde.
The award ceremony, held at the historic Splendid Palace cinema, marked the culmination of the contest. The European Commission awarded four First Prizes, four Second Prizes and four Third Prizes, recognising outstanding research in biology, medicine, physics, mathematics and engineering. In addition, a Special Jury Award and a Special Jury Award for Youth were presented. More than 20 special prizes were granted by leading European and international research institutions.
The contest achieved significant public visibility. National and international media coverage and digital communication activities. More than 500 Latvian pupils, teachers and students visited the exhibition in Riga.
The expected impact of EUCYS 2025 extends beyond the competition week. At European level, the project EUCYS2025 strengthened cross-border cooperation, reinforced Europe’s role as a supportive environment for young scientific talent and increased awareness of youth research achievements. See EUCYS2025 video https://www.eucys2025.eu/en/about/videos/(öffnet in neuem Fenster)
EUCYS 2025 provided a high-level scientific platform for young researchers representing a broad range of STEAM disciplines, including biology, engineering, medicine, chemistry, computing, environmental sciences, mathematics, materials science, physics and social sciences.
The scientific evaluation was undertaken by an international jury, chaired by Hans Langeveld, in accordance with the EUCYS 2025 Rules and the evaluation methodology outlined in the general EUCYS guidelines.
During the contest week in Riga, all projects were exhibited at Hanzas Perons, where jury members evaluated each participant’s presentation on site and performed the final assessment based on scientific quality, methodology, originality and presentation.
The scientific programme was complemented by educational activities, including the EIROforum lecture “Oocyte Epigenetics”, delivered by Marzia Munafò, Postdoctoral Fellow at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Rome, as well as a scientific visit to the University of Latvia.
From a technical perspective, project exhibitions and jury work were organised in full compliance with EUCYS guidelines. A special space was provided for jury evaluations, while participants’ exhibition hall was equipped with neccessary technical infrastructure. Information on participants and projects was made available at the EUCYS 2025 catalogue and the EUCYS2025 website, as well as different communication channels - radio, internet portals, social media.
The scientific evaluation was undertaken by an international jury, chaired by Hans Langeveld, in accordance with the EUCYS 2025 Rules and the evaluation methodology outlined in the general EUCYS guidelines.
During the contest week in Riga, all projects were exhibited at Hanzas Perons, where jury members evaluated each participant’s presentation on site and performed the final assessment based on scientific quality, methodology, originality and presentation.
The scientific programme was complemented by educational activities, including the EIROforum lecture “Oocyte Epigenetics”, delivered by Marzia Munafò, Postdoctoral Fellow at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Rome, as well as a scientific visit to the University of Latvia.
From a technical perspective, project exhibitions and jury work were organised in full compliance with EUCYS guidelines. A special space was provided for jury evaluations, while participants’ exhibition hall was equipped with neccessary technical infrastructure. Information on participants and projects was made available at the EUCYS 2025 catalogue and the EUCYS2025 website, as well as different communication channels - radio, internet portals, social media.
EUCYS 2025 in Riga advanced the established model of international youth science competitions by implementing enhanced organisational, scientific and communication measures designed to create optimal conditions for high-level research presentation, professional exchange and European cooperation.
A strong focus was placed on the development of a comprehensive participant programme and structured work organisation. The project ensured professionally managed exhibition conditions, transparent evaluation procedures, precise scheduling and continuous coordination support. Particular attention was devoted to clear and timely communication with participants and delegations before and during the event, enabling young researchers to focus fully on the scientific quality of their work.
Beyond operational excellence, EUCYS 2025 reinforced the European dimension of the contest. By bringing together 133 young scientists from 37 countries, the event functioned as a platform for cross-border dialogue, intercultural exchange and early integration into Europe’s research and innovation ecosystem.
EUCYS 2025 also strengthened the link between science, education and society. Two of the three exhibition days were open to the public, attracting approximately 500 Latvian school pupils, teachers and university students. This public engagement component contributed to increased scientific literacy, visibility of research careers and early motivation for participation in STEAM disciplines.The official EUCYS 2025 website played a central role in the communication campaign, serving as the primary platform for disseminating information about the contest, programme and participating projects. Over 6,600 new users and 6,800 active users accessing the platform during the reporting period. In total, the website generated more than 43,000 page views, demonstrating high interest in the contest and its activities.
The presented data demonstrate that EUCYS 2025 achieved broad societal visibility and effectively reached key educational target groups, reinforcing the role of youth research within the wider European perspective.
A strong focus was placed on the development of a comprehensive participant programme and structured work organisation. The project ensured professionally managed exhibition conditions, transparent evaluation procedures, precise scheduling and continuous coordination support. Particular attention was devoted to clear and timely communication with participants and delegations before and during the event, enabling young researchers to focus fully on the scientific quality of their work.
Beyond operational excellence, EUCYS 2025 reinforced the European dimension of the contest. By bringing together 133 young scientists from 37 countries, the event functioned as a platform for cross-border dialogue, intercultural exchange and early integration into Europe’s research and innovation ecosystem.
EUCYS 2025 also strengthened the link between science, education and society. Two of the three exhibition days were open to the public, attracting approximately 500 Latvian school pupils, teachers and university students. This public engagement component contributed to increased scientific literacy, visibility of research careers and early motivation for participation in STEAM disciplines.The official EUCYS 2025 website played a central role in the communication campaign, serving as the primary platform for disseminating information about the contest, programme and participating projects. Over 6,600 new users and 6,800 active users accessing the platform during the reporting period. In total, the website generated more than 43,000 page views, demonstrating high interest in the contest and its activities.
The presented data demonstrate that EUCYS 2025 achieved broad societal visibility and effectively reached key educational target groups, reinforcing the role of youth research within the wider European perspective.