European Researchers' Night in Bosnia and Herzegovina 2014-2015

Project Information

RiNG-14-15

Grant agreement ID: 633363

DOI

10.3030/633363

Project closed

EC signature date 22 July 2014

Start date 1 June 2014

End date 30 November 2015

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 173 000,00

EU contribution

€ 150 000,00

Coordinated by

TIDEA DOO BANJA LUKA
Bosnia and Herzegovina

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - RiNG-14-15 (European Researchers' Night in Bosnia and Herzegovina 2014-2015)

Reporting period: 2015-01-01 to 2015-11-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The European Researchers' Night 2014/2015 in Bosnia and Herzegovina, RiNG-14-15, gathered research communities from Republika Srpska and Federation of BiH, jointly promoting scientific careers and enhancing public recognition of researchers' work with the message "Researchers are amongst us". In such a context, interactive communication was engaged with the public at large on the whole national territory.
Organised for the third time in Bosnia and Herzegovina, RING-14 offered a broad range of activities addressing the public at large in all its components with, however, a strong focus on young people, in particular those about making a career choice, as well as on kids.
In such context, the main motto chosen for the activities consisted of “Sign for Science”; the awareness campaign accordingly referred to "traffic signs"; a real life roadmap on how to find science, how to investigate, and how to reach the innovations was developed. All the activities were articulated on creating a sort of “science traffic school” in an open area (Traffic signs and traffic controllers leading participants to specific areas).
Amongst the numerous activities offered, one may list:
o Edutainment parks with hands-on experiments, directly engaging general public into
communication with researchers;
o High school competitions for the best science projects;
o Science coffee and talks to scientists, labelled as "RiNG ME";
o Various competitions, games and quizzes, especially directed to younger audience;
o Lectures and presentations;
o Large EU area: EU corners with policy and gender issues advisory, as well exhibition of
EU-funded projects in BiH;
o Thematic activities at supporting universities, research centres and museums;
o Science Movie Night and Science Party.

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

AWARENESS CAMPAIGN:

Tasks undertaken

Target audiences
o Public at large regardless of age and scientific background;
o Special attention to be paid to students at high schools and young people especially those facing a career choice;

Messages conveyed
o Researchers are amongst us;
o Researchers are ordinary people with an extraordinary job;
o What’s up with research and innovation?
o Research eases your life and increases your wellbeing
o Research is fun;
o Being researcher is exciting ;
o Science makes a difference ;
o Ignite the chain reaction!

Communication tools to rely on

Off line
o Publication of articles, announcements advertisements in in local and national newspapers and magazines;
o Airing of promotional spots, announcements, interviews, programmes on various radio and TV stations (national and regional);
o Publication of press releases;
o Organisation of 2 press conferences per Researchers’ Night;
o Visits to schools by scientist;
o Open labs days at supporting organisations;
o Public advertising: display of posters, city lights, banners, in public spaces and transport means;
o Distribution of promotional material in public spaces such as libraries, squares, cinemas, restaurants, cafés…;
o Direct mailing with personalised invitations;

On line
o Revamping, constant updating and maintenance of project website (detailed programme, venues, information about EU and Researchers’ night);
o Revamping updating and maintenance of social networks profiles (Facebook, Twitter, science news, community building actions, calls for competitions);
o Display of promotional video on YouTube, video recordings at event and pre-event activities;
o Electronic mailing for registered users: registration to specific events, newsletter and events reports with videos and pictures;

Promotional material
o Written promotional material (folders, notebook, posters, flyers…);
o Ads and banners, websites (links with EU, institutional and popular websites);
o Mention of "This European Researchers' Night project is funded by the European Commission under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions" on all promotional material displayed;
o Promotional gadgets (such as T-shirts, stickers, key chains…)(displayed through the European corner notably), complying with the general guidelines available at http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/communication/services/visual_identity/index.en.htm

Overview of the results

o Conception, realisation and display city lights, billboards, roll up, name tags, sign posting, flyers (in each of the cities involved), posters of various formats, notebook, pens, folders, bookmarks, T-shirts notes and diplomas (details in deliverable 1);
o Public advertising (billboards, citylights, display of promotional material in streets…):
o 2 billboards and 3 city lights in Banja Luka;
o 3 billboards and 6 city lights in Sarajevo;
o 1 billboard and 2 city lights in Mostar;
o Advertising in public places and public transport;
o Airing of announcements (telop) on national Republika Srpska TV and Radio station, RTRS,jingle in in supporting national, regional and local stations all over BiH, and different appearances of RiNG team members have been listed in various media channels;
o Sending of direct invitations sent through the partner organization mailing lists, social networks and web portals;
o Pre events:
o Orgnaisation of 2 Flash mobs;
o Visits to elementary schools, high schools, faculties, and research institutes;
o Organsiation of 2 press conferences, namely 22nd September 2015 in Sarajevo and 24th September 2015 in Banja Luka
o Publication of press releases: 6 (2 prior the event for press conferences, 4 after the event);
o Publication of 139 articles, interviews, announcements, advertising in written press;
o Revamping, constant updating and maintenance of projectwebsite, namely www.nocistrazivaca.ba (What is European Researchers’ Night, Agenda for each city, Blog about BiH researchers, online registrations for volunteers, participants, competitions, workshops);
o 4.332 unique visitors during the period from 1st September to 15th October, 13.724 pages or articles shown during 5.980 sessions ;
o Revamping, constant updating and maintenance of social network profiles:
o Official Facebook page for RiNG-14-15 is “Noć istraživača BiH”, and it is freely accessible at 2.778 followers
o Twitter profile 99 followers
o You Tube channel 14 videos, viewed 3079 times
o At least 600.000 people made aware of the European Researchers'night and its objectives

ACTIVITIES DURING THE NIGHT:

Tasks undertaken

List of locations and venues involved
o Banja Luka (central location, pedestrian areas, mix of open air and closed venues): Youth Centre (plan B option due to bad weather) and new venues within the same building as Youth Centre (National University Library, Republika Srpska Museum, Children Theatre) and Technology High School, K.S.E.T. Pub for the Science Party;
o Sarajevo (central locations, pedestrian areas, mix of open air and closed venues): Tito Coffee, Vilsonovo pedestrian area, Vilsonovo open air stage, History Museum;
o Mostar: Gymnasium Mostar - UWC Mostar, MEPAS Mall and CineStar cinema, Spanish square, Old Bridge, Centre for Technological Culture Mostar, Džemal Bijedić university with Faculty of Civil Engineering, City Park, Youth Culture Center Abrašević;
o Bijeljina: Cultural centre Semberija;

Main types of activities planned
Science shows, hands-on interactive experiments, science coffee, magic tricks, games and Quizzes, competitions, display of Movies, presentations and Live Link, showcase of research works, lab visits, open Nights, European corner, Science party;

Detailed programme of activities
o Researchers in the event area with badges “RING ME”;
o Activities:
o Science shows: navigate through science;
o Hands-on experiments;
o Science cafés: dating with researchers;5
o Magic tricks, games and quizzes;
o Competitions: high school science projects, treasure hunt;
o Showcase of researchers’ work: science and innovation fair, various models and presentations;
o Lab visits (at supporting universities and organisations);
o Science party (musical band or DJ);
o European corners;
o Activities planned jointly with other EU funded projects:
o Professor Balthazar rainbow was renamed to “Chain Reaction” and organized by NGO Different Angle: students from different classes and primary schools were creating joint picture by drawing thematic sections (e.g. cosmos, ocean, museum). Works from all children involved have represented a whole in the form of models and featured educational messages and guidelines for other children and visitors of the event;
o Science future education contest: aimed at describing students’ wishes for science education in the future – gathering comments through social networks and directly at event venues through the “wish walls”;
o Presentation of Researchers’ night in retrospective;
o Live shows in streaming;

European corners
Number: 4, one in each city involved
Location: frequented open air areas in Banja Luka and Sarajevo, at reception areas in Mostar Gymnasium and culture center “Semberija” in Bijelina;
Activities planned:
o Display of informative and promotional material;
o Permanent presence of personnel likely answering all the audience’s questions regarding EU policies and programmes (Representatives of BIH European delegation and representatives of gender centre for promoting gender balance);
o Witnesses by researchers having benefitted from EU support about their experience and research mobility;
o European Researchers' Night MSCA roll-up (entrance of the event) complying with the following content and format requirements: 200 X 85 cm, and the mentions: "European Researchers' Night", "Marie Skłodowska-Curie: an inspiration to follow";
o An image provided by the European Commission;

Overview of the results

o Organisation of 84 different activities in the 4 cities involved (6 different venues in Banja Luka with 26 different activities, 4 venues in Sarajevo with 31 different activity, 8 venues in Mostar with 14 activities, 1 venue in Bijeljina with 13 activities);
o Main types of activities: interactive experiments, competitions, star gazing, science and innovation fair, kids science park, lectures and games, organised in various dedicated areas also referring to European and gender dimensions;
o Over 1.100 people involved in the organisation of activities (researchers, innovators, exhibitors, edutainers, lecturers, volunteers…);
o 288 researchers involved in RiNG-15: 127 in Sarajevo, 71 in Banja Luka, 70 in Bijeljina, 20 in Mostar, out of whom 46 having benefited from EU support in the past;
o Collection of 5 literature works, 5 sculptures, 118 drawings in Banja Luka and 83 drawings in Sarajevo ;
o About 12.500 visitors having taken part to the activities offered, distributed as follows:
o 5.500 in Banja Luka;
o 5.000 in Sarajevo;
o 1.000 respectively in Bijeljina and Mostar

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)

IMPACT ASSESSMENT: Overview of the results

o Collection analysis and processing of interviews, questionnaires prior to the event and afterwards, including during the events:
o 403 pre-event interviews;
o 228 interviews during the events;
o 331 in Banja Luka, (217 before and 114 after);
o 226 in Sarajevo and Mostar (154 prior and 112 during the event);
o 34 in Bijeljina (32 prior and 2 after the event);
o Main conclusions:
o Typology of visitors: 186 male and 217 female in prior to the event group, (46,2 and 53,8 % respectively), 115 male and 113 female after the event (respectively 50,4 % and 49,6%), over 50 % under 25, mostly college or university student, followed by high school students, and families with underage children;
o Overall positive feedback about the events themselves (organisation, schedule, location and venues, contacts with researchers, interest of activities);
o Knowledge about the event: adversting, e-media, schools, friends and /or colleagues, family…: 30.1% visitors learned about the event through Facebook channel, 20.1% through TV and radio, 19.7% through promotional materials handed on street and other places. "Word of mouth” number of referrals and number of visitors that learned about the event at school is also on the rise, compared to 2014.
o Improved image of researchers and their job: researcher’s profession valued higher than average and evolution in the way children represent scientists: although elderly male with grey hair dominates image of scientist, drawings also show more female scientists and young adventurers as scientists;
o Most successful activities: hands-on science experiments and demonstrations, interactive activities for children, high school competition for the best science project, display of science advances;
o As data indicates, the event successfully managed to attract age groups constituting the main target groups of the event.

RiNG-15 logo (colour)

RiNG-14 logo (colour)