CORDIS

‘Open Researchers 2018/19’ is designed to increase the awareness and perception of research as a solution to the numerous challenges faced by citizens mainly in Europe. ‘The heritage of researchers in Europe as a basis for a science open to citizenship’ is the main idea of the project, which has been conceived in a time where becomes clearer that we must join efforts to find sustainable, equal, innovative and creative solutions to give answer to the societal challenges.
Understanding that Science is present in our daily lives through many disciplines involved including Social and Humanities Sciences, and learning that the progress should be accompanied by a scientific culture that will prepare future citizens to a reality full of challenges. In the same way, it is essential to promote young people’s interest in Science and Research by opening it to the general public through its main protagonists, researchers.
The project's major strength is the numerous activities taking place on main busy streets and squares, theatres, and historical buildings of the eight Andalusian cities, with a high mobilization of researchers. Especially, the European dimension of the event is underlined directly by an active involvement of researchers that are beneficiaries of European projects, and Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellows. Gender balance is also guaranteed in researchers and organization members as well as the topics of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI). In this regard, the proposal includes the participation in a new citizen science project related to cultural heritage for the next two years.

"WP1
o Conception, realisation of promotional material, such as posters, programmes, roll ups, T-shirts, stickers and brochures displayed in libraries, shops and restaurants of the cities;
o Graphic and audio-visual coverage of the activities, production of 48 promotional videos and news, official acts...
o Public advertising: billboards, city lights, display of promotional material in streets, public spaces, both static and dynamic (bicycles);
o Advertising in public places and public transport: panels, bus stops, buses, shopping malls, buildings' facades, street marketing…
o Direct promotion during other public events;
o Airing of announcements/advertising/programmes/interviews on radio and TV stations. Media partnership with regional radio and TV station RTVA;
o Invitations sent (popular and institutional websites, municipalities and region capitals, media, schools, associations of parents/students, chambers of commerce, public services and foundations…);
o Mailings and phone calls to institutions, opinion leaders, researchers from participating institutions;
o Sending of the detailed programme to 300 mass media;
o Organisation of over 100 pre-events:
o Visits: schools, regional/local institutions, educational institutions;
o Meetings with institutions and companies;
o Teaser events in public spaces;
o Organisation of 8 press conferences;
o Publication of press releases and press notes displayed to Andalusian cities prior to the event;
o Setting up and dissemination of a general press dossier and of 8 specific ones for each province involved;
o Publication of 353 on- and off-line articles, interviews, announcements, advertising in the main newspapers of the cities;
o Revamping, constant updating of the project website www.lanochedelosinvestigadores.fundaciondescubre.es;
o 151,335 visits and 415,203 pages visited on the official site;
o Revamping and constant updating of social networks profiles, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube;
o 125 new likers on Facebook, over 12.000 followers;
o 103 new followers and national Trending Topic on Twitter;
o 38 videos uploaded on YouTube;
o Sending of newsletters;
o About 2.900.000 people made aware of the European Researchers' Night and its objectives.

WP2
o Offer of the activities as described in Annex I Part B to the grant Agreement, namely:
In 2018, the activity has gained prominence in the agendas of cities; thereby facilitating the event has reached 78,000 participants, a 4% increase over the previous year and a 14.70% increase over 2016: Almería: 12,000; Cádiz: 8,000; Córdoba: 9,000; Granada: 16,000; Huelva: 5,00; Jaén: 8,000; Málaga: 10,000; Sevilla: 10,000
The consortium organized 570 activities (+10.03% over 2017) in the eight Andalusian provinces, Ceuta and Melilla, as planned in the Annex I part B to the Grant Agreement, namely:
o 418 hands-on experiments, science shows and workshops;
o 57 debates and micro talks with researchers;
o 64 hands-on experiments and workshops designed for kids;
o 23 leisure activities;
o 8 European Corners.
The project registered the participation of 2,895 researchers and organizers (+16.50% more than in 2017) this year showing their work to the public and working to organize the event. As for their profile, the number of women researchers was again higher than men (55.37% of researchers involved were women and 44.63% were men), of whom:
o 29 benefitted from MSCA scheme
o 192 involved in 301 projects having benefitted from another EU support (FP 7, HORIZON 2020).

WP3
o Monitoring of activities, estimation of the number of attendees (during the event);
o Self-administered questionnaire (""Tell us your Night"" postcard registering the email of the attendees for the sending of a subsequent questionnaire online);
o Online survey of participants (during and after): sociodemographic profile of the participants, their level of satisfaction with the activities and the impact of the programme on the main public commi"

o Conception, collection and processing of feedbacks, based
o Main conclusions:
o Typology of respondents: important presence of young people (over 23% under 15,62% under 35, 60% female and 40% male, About 75% with a high educational background, 5% having come alone, 89% accompanied by family members, friends or both (respectively 46% and 43%), 59 % newcomers, with 30% newcomers in any activity of science dissemination;
o Overall positive feedback about the events (activities, contacts with researchers, venues, organisation, scheduling) (87.9% liked the activities);
o Acquisition of new knowledge for 95% of respondents;
o General intention to take part in future similar events (92.8%);
o Overall satisfaction of the researchers (55% female, 73% under 45) involved (8,3/10) and intention expressed by 97% to be involved in further events;
o Awareness about the importance of science dissemination for 87% respondents and 88% researchers;
o General wish for more frequent similar events, from both respondents and researchers.