A Europe-wide public event dedicated to popular science and fun learning. It takes place each year in September in 300 cities. Here, in A Coruña for example.
Researcher’s Night is a 12 years old Europe-wide public event dedicated to popular science and fun learning. It takes place each year on the last Friday in September. Around 30 countries and over 300 cities are involved.
The project, launched in 2005, aims to bring researchers closer to the general public and to increase awareness of research and innovation activities, with a view to supporting the public recognition of researchers, creating an understanding of the impact of researchers' work on citizen’s daily life, and encouraging young people to embark on scientific careers.
The project offers an innovative tool to create a genuine single market for knowledge, research and innovation:
- The events showcase what researchers really do for society in interactive and engaging ways, promoting research careers to young people and their parents
- The events are witnessing more breakthroughs, discoveries and world-firsts by taking great ideas from the lab to the market. It is done thanks to events which highlights the importance of research and intend to encourage the youngest to follow a scientific path.
- Citizen participation and European transcendence are at heart of every event. Plus, Academic organisations or companies (including SMEs) may be coordinator or beneficiary of the project. Benefits are therefore in favour of the key actors of the quadruple helix (Public sector, Civil Society, RTO & High Education, SMEs & Industry).
Resources needed
The European Researchers' Night (NIGHT) is funded by The Marie Skłodowska Curie Actions (MSCA).MSCA was awarded €6.16 billion in the period to 2020.
Any event that boosts public awareness of the positive role of research in society, especially among young people, can be funded by the The MSCA.
Evidence of success
The European Researchers' Nights have been organised every September since 2005. Some of the past events have received national prizes. In 2015, the event celebrated its 10th anniversary. In 2017 about 1.1 million citizens and over 21 000 researchers took part in these scientific events.
Difficulties encountered
Free of charge entrances don’t allow organisations to have financial compensation for the work they put in and the funds to be reimbursed and “reused” for another researcher’s night event.
The events produced being interdisciplinary can somehow be seen as a too wide.
Potential for learning or transfer
The event is happening in 300 cities of Europe, showing its great potential for learning and transfer. Many institutions like the MUNCYT Museo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia for example, can organize their own researcher's night.
This event is a tool to break down barriers to create a genuine single market for knowledge, research and innovation. This is a real leverage for the future economy, society and progress in all fields of research.
The participatory approach characteristic of those events allows professionals to interact directly with the civil society, thus creating an understanding and generating new thoughts and idea on both sides.
