METAMORPHOSIS

The Researchers´ Night is one of the favorite science popularization events in the Czech Republic. Since its introduction in 2005, it has steadily grown in terms of scope, geographical coverage, professionalization, and attendance by the public. The consortium of 18 participating universities, research institutes, and other non-academic organizations will prepare two editions of nation-wide ERN in collaboration with numerous stakeholders spread across the country. As in previous years the program is built around a shared topic: „Franz Kafka“ in 2024 and „Golden Coins” in 2025. For maximum reach to the relevant target groups, a coordinated awareness campaign including a common website, emblem, and graphic design will be carried out as well as impact evaluation. The key novelty will be introduced via the Researchers at Schools Activity (RaSA), reaching out to schools in remote areas. In 2024, researchers will visit schools with interactive sessions and school groups will be brought to experience ERN at one of the METAMORPHOSIS partners, while in 2025 the schools will be supported in organizing their own “mini Researchers´ Nights”. Based on the long-term experience of some of the project partners with bringing researchers to primary and secondary schools, an open-source handbook will be created. The conference for science popularizers will provide enthusiastic researchers with the necessary skills and a platform for sharing ideas. Researchers involved in EU-funded projects, including MSCA fellows and ERC grantees, and Erasmus students will help present the benefits of the EU support to science and innovation. Outreach activities will be also focused on raising awareness about EU missions. In addition, two gender-imbalanced STEM fields will be flagged, promoting “Girls in IT” and “Boys in primary school teaching”. Thanks to the inclusion of the Czech Centers in several European cities, the METAMORPHOSIS network will foster cooperation and promote Czech science abroad.