Opendata, web and dolomites

Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - MONTENIGHT2014-15 (Researchers Night in Montenegro 2014/2015)

Teaser

The project Researchers’ Night in Montenegro 2014-15 consisted of the continuation of its previous editions as from 2009; it was led by the same consortium composed of the Natural History Museum, the Montenegrin Science Promotion Foundation PRONA and the Ministry of...

Summary

The project Researchers’ Night in Montenegro 2014-15 consisted of the continuation of its previous editions as from 2009; it was led by the same consortium composed of the Natural History Museum, the Montenegrin Science Promotion Foundation PRONA and the Ministry of Science.

The main objective pursued consisted of strengthening the efforts in bridging the gaps between researchers and public at large in all its components, although a strong focus was put on young people and kids.

The main events took place from the early afternoon on 25 September 2015 until the early hours of 26 September, in the Montenegrin capital, Podgorica, as well as in six smaller towns across Montenegro, namely Kotor, Nikšić, Kolašin, Bijelo Polje, Tivat and Cetinje.

As for Podgorica, the main activities took place in Art Pavilion, Karver, Plaza Capital, Natural History Museum and Contemporary Art Centre (Royal\'s Residence Kruševac). At the Art Pavilion and Karver, 28 groups presented more than 200 hands-on experiments, robots performances, astronomical workshop, Science kindergarten, engineering students competition, science movies, inter-disciplinary discussion, science show, concert…

Guided lab visits (5) were organised at University of Montenegro (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Faculty for Civil Engeneering), Natural History Museum of Montenegro, Hydro-meteorological and Seismological Service of Montenegro and Centre for Eco-Toxicological Research, also in Podgorica.

As to the smaller towns referred to above, they offered hands-on experiments and interactive presentations within various research entities (Institute for Marine Biology, Kotor, Water plant “Rada”, Bijelo Polje, Historical museum, Cetinje, Botanical Garden, Kolašin, Nautical Museum, Tivat).

The European Researchers’ Night proved once more to be a fun, educational and unique event gathering researchers, general population, the business sector, schools, young-talent programmes, various NGOs, governmental institutions, international agencies and academic institutions.

Work performed

\"I.1.1. AWARENESS CAMPAIGN

Tasks undertaken

Target audiences
o Public at large regardless of age and scientific background;
o Special attention to be paid to high school; students, university students, young people in general especially when facing a career choice, pre-school kids, elementary schools’ pupils, parents, researchers’ schools authorities and teachers;
o Also focus on researchers themselves and media;

Messages conveyed
o Researchers are amongst us;
o Researchers are ordinary people with an extraordinary job;
o Science is interdisciplinary and researchers need cooperating nowadays for reaching better and faster results;
o Science is fun and enjoyable;
o Learning and practicing science is in fact appealing;
o Being researchers is challenging but exciting;
o Researchers work on important jobs for social and economic well-being of local communities and mankind as a whole;
o Europe offers attractive career opportunities to researchers;
o Women in science;
o Scientific knowledge for sustainable development;

Main communication tools to rely on

Off line
o Organisation of media event with journalists as a kick off of the project;
o Direct meetings with various stakeholders (companies, researchers, science networks, universities, institutes, science services, school authorities and teachers, university students’ organisations, organisations of and for young people..);
o Publication of articles , announcements, advertisements in written press;
o Airing of promotional jingles, spots, interviews, programmes, announcements and talk shows on several radio and TV stations;
o Direct invitations to heads of science talents activities in all schools (HSS, school directors, faculty deans, other research stakeholders);
o Direct visits to primary and secondary schools;
o Meetings aimed at describing the inter-disciplinarity concept to be presented during the science cafés;
o Organisation of pre-events:
o Series of the festive events, Science in Motion, with the open experiments contests for schools (Šavnik, Žabljak, Pljevlja, Plužine, Bar, Berane, Andrijevica, Plav, Rožaje, Ulcinj );
o Promotional hands-on experiments stand in the main shopping malls in Podgorica (Delta and Gintas).

On line
o Revamping, constant updating and maintenance of the project website (programme, research in Montenegro, researchers’ profession, interactive functions allowing suggestions/improvements to the programme, suggestions of topics of interest…);
o Revamping, updating and maintenance of social networks profiles;
o E mailing;
o Posting of articles, announcements, promotional items on on,-line journals, for a, social networks groups (Facebook, Twitter)

Promotional material
o Programmes, leaflets, posters in various formats, bill boards, city lights, video clips, radio jingles, pictures;
o On line banners, ads website and links to several EU, institutional and popular websites;
o Mention of \"\"This European Researchers\' Night project is funded by the European Commission under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions\"\" on all promotional material displayed;
o Promotional gadgets (displayed through the European corner notably), complying with the general guidelines available at http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/communication/services/visual_identity/index.en.htm

Overview of the results

o Refreshing of visual identity based on the mascot figure imagined by Aleksandra Aleksić for the European poster competition;
o Conception, production and display of promotional material: billboards in most frequented locations in the capital city, tarpaulins at the venues and in front of the main City squares, posters (schools, public places), roll ups for each exhibiting group, leaflets displayed in the city centre and brochures/programmes displayed during the events themselves;
o Sending of personal invitations, notably to heads of Science Talents’ programmes in all the schools, principals, deans, scientific institutions and other research stake\"

Final results

Main conclusions:
o Overall positive feedback about the event (activities, interest, contacts with researchers, concrete organisation, schedule, locations and venues);
o Typology of visitors: for a large part scholars from elementary and high schools, as well as students and young people;
o Activities most successful: hands-on experiments (students and scholars), tribunes and science café (older attendees);
o Excellent media coverage of the event (TV broadcast; web portals, newspapers…);
o Very positive opinion expressed by responders towards researchers and their potential contribution to society and he country\'s development;
o General will expressed by responders to take part in similar future events.

Socio-economic Impact

The European Researchers\' Night in Montenegro has steadily and provably expanded in scope, audience, participation, public consciousness penetration, and quantifiable results in each and every year of its operations since 2009. The core team of the European Researchers\' Night in Montenegro 2009 initiated under the coordination of the Ministry of Science, which was accepted just one year later (2010), for the first time in history in Montenegro.

While adding broader media involvement and greater school integration, the European Researchers\'Night attracted direct personal attendance participation by up to three percent of the entire population of the country, and over 60% nationwide specific awareness via mass media.

The Survey conducted by the Montenegrin Academy for Science and Arts in 2014 and 2015 show that the elementary and high school students are not really fully aware of the importance of science and research for their everyday life. Furthermore, classes as Math or Chemistry are considered boring among 70% of scholars. Only 2% of student population like mathematics, physics and biology courses. Researchers and science news are widely absent from medias, and it could be said that only during the European Researchers\'Night or similar events researchers are in focus of media and public attention. On the other side, surveys of the European Researchers\'Night impact continuously show that 90% of visitors (mostly youth) understand the benefits of science towards society and the positive impact of research on the mankind.

The main socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the action is the increased interest for science careers as shown among young people, interviewed during the event. The European Researchers’ Night will certainly influence the relationships between research institutions, universities etc. operating in the area and, having cooperated in the project, likely to go on after it and generate further synergies and positive impact. The European Researchers\' night, when involving (whether directly within the partnership or through external cooperation) companies, including small and medium ones operating in the area, can also ease the setting up of bridges between research and industry and, as such, lead to employment and innovation.

Website & more info

More info: http://www.festivalnauke.me.