Periodic Reporting for period 1 - K-TRIO 4 (Researchers in the Knowledge Triangle)
Período documentado: 2020-05-01 hasta 2021-01-31
"‘Researchers in Knowledge Triangle’ (K-TRIO 4) project aims at bringing researchers and their accomplishments closer to society, and to young people in particular and thus becoming a powerful tool for making the general public aware of the excellent European achievements in research and innovation. The K-TRIO 4 main objective is to create a greater understanding on how research and innovation contribute for well-being of people and sustainable development. It also focuses on the success of Centres of Excellence (CoE) and Centres of Competence (CoC) and their contribution to the Intelligent Strategy for Smart Specialisation in Bulgaria and regional development.
The motto of the ERN 2020 was ""Science transforms life"" and the following specific objectives were defined:
- Raising public awareness of education, research and innovation as main drivers of the knowledge society, with great impact on everyday life of citizens and more sustainable
future;
- Changing public attitude to researchers and their work, and enhancing their interest in science;
- Nurturing a new research and innovation culture and attracting young people (kids and students) to STEM and researchers career;
- Increasing the public understanding of European initiatives for building the ERA and making Europe more “green” and competitive through research and innovation."
The motto of the ERN 2020 was ""Science transforms life"" and the following specific objectives were defined:
- Raising public awareness of education, research and innovation as main drivers of the knowledge society, with great impact on everyday life of citizens and more sustainable
future;
- Changing public attitude to researchers and their work, and enhancing their interest in science;
- Nurturing a new research and innovation culture and attracting young people (kids and students) to STEM and researchers career;
- Increasing the public understanding of European initiatives for building the ERA and making Europe more “green” and competitive through research and innovation."
Within the Awareness raising campaign (WP1), a new project website (https://nauka.bg/nosht2020/) and a new project logo were developed at the start of the project. A common visual identity, including social media ‘photo covers’, posters’ design, Word and Power Point generic templates were used by all project partners and the promotional materials differed only in their content. In addition to the K-TRIO 4 website, main communication channels were social media pages as well as publications on organisational websites and online media. Publications at national and regional written media and advertising on national and regional TV and radio channels were also an important part of the awareness campaign.
Although some of the 27 pre-events had to be organised in a virtual form, they attracted the targeted audience, and the partners reported the pre-events to be very successful.
The main project activity was the organization and conduction of the European Researchers’ Night in 2020 (WP2). Due to the COVID-19 restrictions in Bulgaria, the Night took place on 27 and 28 November mainly as a virtual, online event in Sofia, Plovdiv, Burgas, Varna, Russe, Stara Zagora, Shumen Veliko Tarnovo and Yambol. The moto of the ERN 2020 is “Science transforms life” and the objective of the work package was to offer “all the categories of the public, regardless of age and scientific background, a range of activities as broad as possible”. The activities within the programmes of the Night were generally structured around the four main components: K-TRIO for Kids, K-TRIO Competitions, K-TRIO Faces, K-TRIO for All. Many of the partners manage to seamlessly blend more than one audience and involve directly and actively both researchers and audiences. As in previous years, competitions played important part of the overall visibility of the project and the ERN activities in general. The competitions were extensively popularised through the project website, social media and the networks of educators on regional and national level that the partners maintain or are a part of.
A ‘Survey on the public opinion on the science and researchers in Bulgaria’ and Questionnaire to evaluate the perception and the impact of the activities within the Night (WP3) were developed. They were designed as a Google Form and were published on the project website as well as shared via social media channels and email communications. The Survey and the Questionnaire were both anonymous, which encourage respondents to be more open and honest when providing their feedback. All data received were summarised and evaluated using the Methodology described in the project.
The main objective of the WP 4 Management was to provide overall project management; ensure smooth implementation of the project and the timely delivery of quality results; set out effective communication between the project partners, the European Commission and third parties. The activities with this work package (WP) also ensured the overall administrative, technical, and financial management of the project.
Although some of the 27 pre-events had to be organised in a virtual form, they attracted the targeted audience, and the partners reported the pre-events to be very successful.
The main project activity was the organization and conduction of the European Researchers’ Night in 2020 (WP2). Due to the COVID-19 restrictions in Bulgaria, the Night took place on 27 and 28 November mainly as a virtual, online event in Sofia, Plovdiv, Burgas, Varna, Russe, Stara Zagora, Shumen Veliko Tarnovo and Yambol. The moto of the ERN 2020 is “Science transforms life” and the objective of the work package was to offer “all the categories of the public, regardless of age and scientific background, a range of activities as broad as possible”. The activities within the programmes of the Night were generally structured around the four main components: K-TRIO for Kids, K-TRIO Competitions, K-TRIO Faces, K-TRIO for All. Many of the partners manage to seamlessly blend more than one audience and involve directly and actively both researchers and audiences. As in previous years, competitions played important part of the overall visibility of the project and the ERN activities in general. The competitions were extensively popularised through the project website, social media and the networks of educators on regional and national level that the partners maintain or are a part of.
A ‘Survey on the public opinion on the science and researchers in Bulgaria’ and Questionnaire to evaluate the perception and the impact of the activities within the Night (WP3) were developed. They were designed as a Google Form and were published on the project website as well as shared via social media channels and email communications. The Survey and the Questionnaire were both anonymous, which encourage respondents to be more open and honest when providing their feedback. All data received were summarised and evaluated using the Methodology described in the project.
The main objective of the WP 4 Management was to provide overall project management; ensure smooth implementation of the project and the timely delivery of quality results; set out effective communication between the project partners, the European Commission and third parties. The activities with this work package (WP) also ensured the overall administrative, technical, and financial management of the project.
As in previous years, competitions and pre-events played important part of the overall visibility of the project and the ERN activities in general. SU led the organisation of the National competition for multimedia products, essays, drawings, paintings, posters, collages, and models “Scientific discoveries that inspire me”, thus stimulating the participants to explore and discover science and engineering on their own. Other partners held separate competitions in the creative sphere and the digital format of this year’s activities provided an unexpected advantage, allowing some of them to also spread beyond their geographic regions. A total of 27 pre-events were held across Bulgaria for ERN 2020.
The awareness campaign started months before the event and resulted in a total of 129 publications across different media platforms, which is more than 50% raise from the previous year.”. As a result over 4 000 000 people were reached by the vast number of communication activities, thus fulfilling the pre-set goals.
The COVID-19 related restrictions led to organising the ERN 2020 as an online, virtual event. The digital nature of events allowed for them to be popularised and received participation on a national and sometimes – international level. In addition, the team produced:
• 56 videos uploaded to YouTube
• 12 issues of the “BG Nauka” magazine with special emphasis on ERN 2020, which were downloaded over 85 000 times,
• A special edition “100 Faces in the Bulgarian Science”;
• Exhibition “Faces in Science” designed for researchers at the Faculty of Physics of Sofia University;
• A number of podcast episodes related to or advertising ERN 2020 with over 50 000 people listening;
• 42 videos published on Facebook that reached over 250 000 people
• books – “The 21st Century Teachers“ and “A palette of Pirin and Renaissance Costumes”
• poster exhibitions, etc.
The digital resources that were created for the Night will continue to be available online, both on the website of the project and in the social media, thus ensuring better sustainability and more long-term impact of the activities of the project.
The experience from this ERN provided a valuable insight on the potential digital enhancement of future physical activities and while future ERNs are expected to have much more traditional formats, this will allow the engagement of auditoria in rural communities, distance regions or with disadvantages, not allowing them to take part in some physical format.
The digital form the activities allowed the consortium to reach out to citizens, that would be normally unable to participate in a physical ERN. Notable is the presence of foreign students in some of the activities, as well as the broad national coverage of contests, that were designed to be regional.
The awareness campaign started months before the event and resulted in a total of 129 publications across different media platforms, which is more than 50% raise from the previous year.”. As a result over 4 000 000 people were reached by the vast number of communication activities, thus fulfilling the pre-set goals.
The COVID-19 related restrictions led to organising the ERN 2020 as an online, virtual event. The digital nature of events allowed for them to be popularised and received participation on a national and sometimes – international level. In addition, the team produced:
• 56 videos uploaded to YouTube
• 12 issues of the “BG Nauka” magazine with special emphasis on ERN 2020, which were downloaded over 85 000 times,
• A special edition “100 Faces in the Bulgarian Science”;
• Exhibition “Faces in Science” designed for researchers at the Faculty of Physics of Sofia University;
• A number of podcast episodes related to or advertising ERN 2020 with over 50 000 people listening;
• 42 videos published on Facebook that reached over 250 000 people
• books – “The 21st Century Teachers“ and “A palette of Pirin and Renaissance Costumes”
• poster exhibitions, etc.
The digital resources that were created for the Night will continue to be available online, both on the website of the project and in the social media, thus ensuring better sustainability and more long-term impact of the activities of the project.
The experience from this ERN provided a valuable insight on the potential digital enhancement of future physical activities and while future ERNs are expected to have much more traditional formats, this will allow the engagement of auditoria in rural communities, distance regions or with disadvantages, not allowing them to take part in some physical format.
The digital form the activities allowed the consortium to reach out to citizens, that would be normally unable to participate in a physical ERN. Notable is the presence of foreign students in some of the activities, as well as the broad national coverage of contests, that were designed to be regional.