Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - FAWORIT 2018-2019 (Fascinating World of Researchers in the Age of Technology – Cultural Heritage & the New Generation of Innovators)

Teaser

The main objectives of “FAWORIT 2018-2019”, the European Researchers’ Night in Hungary in 2018, were:o Increased number of female researchers in the long run – our project also strives to encourage more girls to embark on a research career. The participation of the...

Summary

The main objectives of “FAWORIT 2018-2019”, the European Researchers’ Night in Hungary in 2018, were:

o Increased number of female researchers in the long run – our project also strives to encourage more girls to embark on a research career. The participation of the Association of Hungarian Women in Science as leader of the awareness raising campaign (WP1) and organiser of one of our venues as well as targeted actions (e.g. special Science Cafés dedicated to this, participation in Girls’ Day, a special “Girl Innovator Award”) will contribute to reach this goal;
o Better involvement of all societal actors in the whole R&I process – by focussing our project proposal on the thematic elements of Responsible Research and Innovation (public engagement, gender, science education, cultural heritage) we would like to create understanding and acceptance of science and innovation and its results;
o We also aim at raising awareness of the European engagement in the field of research and innovation and better understanding of the European Union among the general public through three dedicated European Corners and smaller EU Booths at each venue to make the EU and its R&I policy and programmes more visible for all citizens.

The main objective of our proposal is to present researchers from several aspects in order to get them
closer to everyday people / the general public and to encourage the youth – with a special focus on girls – to embark on scientific careers.
All the programmes’ and communication strategy’s purpose consisted of illustrating that being a researcher is cool and creative and researchers and young innovators are amongst us.
We intended to raise awareness of the European engagement in R&I, therefore in the European Corners and at each venue related programmes of the European Union (FP7, H2020, especially MSCA) were visible.


Our visitors’ numbers increased from year to year, and as we attracted this year more than 18.227 people, and with the strong communication strategy we could reached about 1,000,000 people with our message. More than 602 researchers were involved in the activities, 20 of these benefitted from MSC schemes and 41 of these benefitted from EU support (FP7, H2020) other than MSCA.

Work performed

AWAIRENESS CAMPAIGN:
• conception, production and display of promotional material: posters, roll-ups in each venue (entrance), general leaflet (30 000 copies, priority programmes in each venue), specific programme in specific leaflet in each venue;
• direct mailing (over 1200 schools, announcement of the event and offer of visit for providing further information) with posters and personnel communication;
• publication of a national press release (journalists and major news agencies);
• publication of local press releases in Budakalász, Eger, Gödöllő, Győr, Kaposvár, Sárospatak, Sopron, Szarvas, Szeged, Veszprém, Miskolc and Debrecen;
• public advertisement on several metro stations, which are the most busiest stops on the main lines in Budapest (Astoria, Batthyány square, Blaha Lujza square, Deák Ferenc square, Corvin-negyed, Ferenciek tere, Kálvin square, Kossuth square, Nyugati railway station)
• organisation of a national press conference (4 days prior to the event; 24/09/2018), Round Table discussion (10 days before the event; 18/09/2018);
• organisation of 3 Science Cafés and 1 Flash Mob;
• revamping, constant updating and maintenance of project website www.kutatokejszakaja.eu and www.researchersnight.hu (information and programme provided in English);
• links with relevant EU, institutional and other popular websites;
• promotion of Serbian Researchers’ Night;
• sending our visual identity for Bosnia and Herczegovina Researchers’ Night poster exhibition;
• Join to a community which collect as much as possible of the researcher night event internationally;
• revamping, constant updating and maintenance of social network profile (Facebook, namely www.facebook.com/kutatokejszakaja);
• revamping the brand identity of the Hungarian Researchers Night;
• constant updating and maintenance YOUTUBE-SCINEWS channel with the main spot, interviews with young researchers, children, reports and other interesting info about the event;
• 22.832 FB-followers;
• several press releases, TV and radio spots
• publication of over 392 articles, interviews, videos … etc in both on and off line press;
• airing of video news, interviews, on several radio and TV stations;
• reports on several TV and radio channels reported about the event (source: National audiovisual Archives, www.nava.hu), as well as printed and electronic news portals;
• over 1.000.000 people made aware of the Researchers\' Night and its objectives.

ACTIVITIES DURING THE NIGHT:

Offer of several activities as described in the Annex I Part B to the Grant agreement:

o hands-on experiments,
o demos,
o interactive workshops,
o simulations,
o Science
o Cafés,
o quizzes competitions,
o contests,
o exhibitions,
o presentation of prototypes,
o guided tours,
o lab visits,
o speed dating,
o games,
o career advice,
o shows,
o interactive lectures.
o
Active involvement of 602 researchers, of whom:
o 20 having benefitted from MSC schemes;
o 41 having benefitted from another EU funding under FP 7 or HORIZON 2020;
o Attendance of 18.227 visitors having taken part in the activities.

Final results

IMPACT ASSESSMENT
• Short (omnibus) survey of a representative sample of the Hungarian population to assess the current situation;
• Contact sheets during the event;
• Online survey after the event conducted among the participants of the event;
• Semi-structured interviews before and after the event;
• Focus groups among visitors;
• Collection, analysis and processing of 3,536 contact sheets and 2079 on-line questionnaires;
• Typology of visitors: aged 27 in average, balanced gender representation (57,5% of female), most of them is 16 years old, significantly participation from Budapest;
• Most of the participants informed about the event by educational institutions;
• Most popular programmes: scientific lectures, presentation of modern-tech-equipment and presentation of the inventions;
• General intention expressed to take part in a similar future event.

Website & more info

More info: https://www.kutatokejszakaja.hu/.