Question 1

What is SCIENCE GTS?

Answer

European Researchers Night GOES TO SCHOOL (SCIENCE GTS) is a programme of activities to bring research closer to society, and especially to new generations, in a fun, interactive way, and through inclusive and balanced gender references.

European Researchers Night GOES TO SCHOOL (SCIENCE GTS) seeks to implement a robust programme of activities that brings research closer to society. To do so, different consortium institutions will use multiple educational and informative formats (talks, workshops, shows, competitions, etc.) as well as methodological resources (entertainment, humour, etc.). The topics covered will be the major challenges posed by the Horizon Programme, the Sustainable Development Goals and the European Green Deal.

Murcia and the Valencian Community share the same sea and horizon. The Mediterranean is a symbol of a future with great common environmental, technological, economic and social challenges.
R&D&I contributions from both regions are needed to address these challenges, as well as to ensure their ongoing progress. Young people and children need to have a positive perception of R&D&I and to identify with it through inclusive and balanced gender references. It is also important that they are aware of the possibilities of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) and of pursuing a career in research.

SCIENCE GTS includes two main initiatives: Researchers at Schools (RaS) and European Researchers’ Night (ERN).
RaS encourages interaction between researchers and students, with an emphasis on stimulating scientific interest, gender equality and inclusiveness.
ERN gives research staff and the general public the opportunity to interact, through critical thinking, scientific culture and citizen science.

Question 2

Why SCIENCE GTS?

Answer

The Mare Nostrum, cradle of civilisations and science, has been a crossroads of cultures since prehistoric times, where East and West merge to create a common space for growth and coexistence.

This shared horizon also symbolises a collective future, facing great environmental, technological, economic and social challenges. These challenges are shared by Europe as a whole, but include the specific features of the Valencian Autonomous Community and the Region of Murcia.

SCIENCE GTS is an in-depth study of how science can be communicated to society. As a result, a bridge can be built between the scientific world and society, through the European Research Night and Research at School, activities that will be tools to blur the barrier between research activity and the social reality of the Region of Valencia and the Region of Murcia.

SCIENCE GTS Institutions have a total of 11,728 researchers in both regions, with whose contribution, society can face great challenges, through innovation for the creation of vaccines, the fight against cancer, renewable energies, climate change or sustainable development, among others. Good social communication of science is essential. To quote García Márquez: “what is not communicated does not exist”. Society not only needs to make use of discoveries and innovations, it also needs to have information about them.

The European Research Night is a highly successful initiative, with more than 1.6 million people taking part in 2019 and more than 2.3 million in 2020.

In 2021, the science outreach project was carried out. In this edition, universities and research institutions of the Valencian Community and the Region of Murcia want to recover the essence of the European Research Night, turning citizens into witnesses and participants of Mediterranean research excellence. To do so, a full programme of activities will need to be designed to bring research closer to the Schools and to celebrate the European Research Night as an opportunity to increase young people’s interest and for society as a whole to perceive the research career as a diverse, equitable and inclusive community, in which people of different genders, types of profiles, conditions and abilities participate.

Question 3

SCIENCE GTS Objectives

Answer

The overall objective of SCIENCE GTS is to bridge the gap between research and social activity.
SCIENCE GTS’s core idea is to bring research in the Mediterranean regions closer to society, especially to younger people.

This approach is planned in two phases:

In the first phase, researchers will be brought to schools in order to stimulate and attract students’ interest.
In the second phase, the European Research Night will take place, with activities offering participants an excellent opportunity to be introduced to research, to get involved in it and to learn about its results. It aims to attract the general public as well as people with limited access to science through an awareness-raising campaign and a programme of activities from an inclusive and gender perspective.

Question 4

SCIENCE GTS goals

Answer

Improve interactions between research staff and citizens. Create spaces for interaction that enrich both groups and offer research staff the opportunity to develop their communication skills and competences in transmitting the results of their work.
Show the usefulness of research activity. Provide the appropriate dissemination platforms to convey that research results can contribute profoundly to the common challenges of the regions that are part of the project and to those of Europe, such as the Horizon Europe Missions, the European Green Deal and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Raise awareness of how useful research activity can be in everyday life. Inform the public that research results in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) and other branches of knowledge are not only great findings and milestones, but also have an impact on everyday life. Research results will be shown in a more tangible, concrete and accessible way.
Involve citizens in research projects. Create a science open to all audiences through the implementation of citizen science initiatives. Consolidate public involvement in research and the creation of knowledge.
STEAM and research career encouragement Awaken the interest of youth and children in STEAM research and careers. Strengthen the connection between research and education through the presence of research staff in educational institutions at all levels. Work together with the teaching staff of the schools in the development of scientific approaches to teaching. Convey the relevant role of research in addressing current and future challenges to students.
Promote gender equity and inclusion in science. Showcase women’s contributions to research and involve a high percentage of female researchers in activities with the aim of providing female reference points.
Promote the inclusion in science among audiences with difficult access to it. Implement activities from an inclusive perspective, targeting people with different abilities or profiles.
Encourage citizens to acquire a scientific culture and critical thinking. Provide tools to identify and distinguish reliable information.

Question 5

Partners y Stakeholders de SCIENCE GTS

Answer

The consortium is made up of a network of entities (partners). Seven public universities (Universitat Jaume I, Universitat Politécnica de València, Universitat de València, Universidad de Alicante, Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena and Universidad de Murcia), the Séneca Foundation, the Instituto de Salud e Investigaciones Biomédicas de Alicante ISABIAL and the communication and strategy agency ATAMA.

– Universidad Jaume I, uji.es
– Universidad de Alicante, ua.es
– Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, upv.es
– Universidad de Valencia, uv.es
– Universidad Miguel Hernández Elche, umh.es
– Universidad de Murcia, um.es
– Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, upct.es
– Fundación Séneca, fseneca.es
– Isabial, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica, isabial.es
– ATAMA, atama.global

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