Project description
Enhancing public engagement with research in Bulgaria
In line with the 2020 International Year of Plant Health (IYPH), the EU-funded FRESHER project will raise awareness on how protecting plant health can help end hunger, reduce poverty, protect the environment and boost economic development. It is based in Bulgaria: the country's Academy of Sciences as well as universities, research institutes and associate partners will organise the European Researchers’ Night on this topic. The events will boost public engagement with research and encourage young people to embark on science-related careers. The project will organise a series of events in 25 cities, towns and villages, paying particular attention to tailored messages for underserved audiences such as people with special needs and youth at risk of dropping out of school.
Objective
Twenty partners in Bulgaria come together for European Researchers Night ‘20 to present FRESHER (Find Research Everywhere, SHare and expERience) - a 12-month project led by the Centre for Research & Analysis, in a Consortium, now in its 5th year, with the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, universities, research institutes, the only Bulgarian tech park, a chamber of industry and commerce, the local office of a pan-European organisation, education entrepreneurship, and associate partners. FRESHER offers a series of specially curated, coordinated, multi-day participatory events at over 50 venues and 30+ schools in 25 cities/towns/villages. The talks, shows, hands-on experiments, lab visits, citizen research, competitions will reach 3.6 mln, and engage directly with 30,000 in face-to-face events at schools, libraries, museums, academic and outdoor venues, public transport and online. Building on well researched, popular formats for researchers’ engagement with the public, FRESHER provides multidisciplinary content around the International Year of Plant Health. The topic will feature in the programmes of all partners to assert the relevance of research to everyday life. Building on the Consortium’s existing understanding developed through previous local initiatives including Researchers Night, and addressing findings of research (MASIS report, Education & Training Monitor 2019 for Bulgaria, Women in Digital Scoreboard 2019, Science, Research & Innovation Performance in EU 2018), FRESHER focuses on enhancing public engagement with research and shortening the gap in the decision of young people and girls in particular to choose STEAM careers. The activities will step on previous evaluation and generate fresh, aligned data. The project will strengthen the capacity of all partners to organise accessible events for the general public, and to tailor messages for underserved audiences, including girls, young people at risk of school drop-out, as well as people with special needs.
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
CSA - Coordination and support actionCoordinator
1113 Sofia
Bulgaria
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Participants (19)
1784 Sofia
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1000 Sofia
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E20 1JQ London
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4000 Plovdiv
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1164 Sofia
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4003 Plovdiv
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4002 Plovdiv
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1431 Sofia
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1000 Sofia
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5300 Gabrovo
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1700 Sofia
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1756 Sofia
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1000 Sofia
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1113 Sofia
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1040 Sofia
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1700 Sofia
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9000 Varna
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7000 Ruse
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1303 Sofia
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.