Project description
Bringing research to the public in Sweden
ForskarFredag (Researchers' Friday) is a nation-wide research festival, initiated by Public & Science (VA), an independent Swedish non-profit membership organisation that works to promote dialogue and openness between researchers and the public. ForskarFredag 2020 will connect local events in around 30 cities and towns across Sweden, aiming to bring the general public, in particular children and young people, in dialogue with researchers through interactive activities. The competition Researchers’ Grand Prix, and an annual citizen science project, are part of the festival. ForskarFredag has been organised annually since 2006 and is a part of the European Researchers' Night.
Objective
"ForskarFredag, FF will unite events in 26 cities and towns across Sweden. The project will bring the general public, with a special focus on pupils aged 12–19, face-to-face with researchers through fun, festive and hands-on activities, all free of charge. By reaching out to all across Sweden, people will discover local and regional research in a national and international context. The non-profit association Public & Science (VA) has coordinated FF annually since 2006, and FF2020 builds on the success of previous years, drawing on experience, contacts and the ever-increasing national profile.
Local events will be planned and executed by local Subcontractors and External Partners in in centrally located venues and brought together under the national FF umbrella by VA. Subcontractors are 12 organisations; universities, science centres, a science park, a municipality and a research centre. Each local event is organised in a way to give the highest impact in the local community, building on local strengths and using local networks. The local organisers share experiences and learnings in a national contact network. VA is responsible for the quality, framework, national identity, national awareness campaign and impact assessment. This is a management structure that has worked well in the past years.
The common theme, ""Towards a Sustainable Future” focusing on climate, sustainability and environment, will inspire innovative local activities with the researcher in focus, connect the local activities and strengthen the national profile.
Common activities include the high-profile communications contest Researchers’ Grand Prix. A Mass Experiment (national citizen science-project), inviting pupils to work together with researchers, will be conducted as part of the awareness campaign.
Collaboration and synergies with other ERN projects will highlight the European dimension. ForskarFredag:s motto is: ""Researchers are ordinary people with extraordinary"
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
CSA - Coordination and support actionCoordinator
114 46 STOCKHOLM
Sweden