Following the huge success of the Researchers NIGHTs 2016-2019, SCIENCE4FUTURE will significantly expand its scope. In 2020, Kiel Region’s 17 research organisations comprising all academic disciplines will be supported by researchers and visitors from neighbouring Denmark, marking the first Danish participation in the ERN since 2009. Together they will showcase their scientists and work to the public not only during the NIGHT in Kiel, but also throughout the year with a series of targeted pre-events across 6 regional cities (Kiel, Rendsburg, Eckernförde, Plön, Preetz and Flensburg). Supported by 40 public, private and non-governmental institutions, it will be the largest regional event dedicated to science. A multifaceted awareness campaign and live broadcasts during the NIGHT will reach 80% of the households. More than 150 activities will give the public a chance to personally talk, work and play with scientists thus breaking down stereotypes. SCIENCE4FUTURE will focus on the themes of Sustainability and Europe, both ideally suited to explain the social, environmental and economic benefits that our researchers achieve every day. Free shuttles buses and ferries will allow visitors (>20,000 expected) to see a broad range of local, national and European research projects in a variety of venues (malls, cinemas, night clubs). A targeted publicity campaign and a fun-filled programme aim at attracting children and young people to participate, including those less interested in academia. Simple “take-home” experiments for teachers, nursery staff and parents will ensure that the interest for research sparked during the NIGHT is kept alive afterwards. Moreover, academic support services (e.g.student admissions or diversity offices) will offer advice on career options. With the strong support of all stakeholders and the active involvement of over 300 researchers in the design and delivery of the programme SCIENCE4FUTURE is set to become a flagship event in Northern Germany.

Following the resounding success of the first NIGHTs in 2016/17, SCIENCE4FUTURE will once again in 2018 and 2019 bring together all of Kiel Region’s 14 research organisations comprising all academic disciplines to showcase their scientists and work to the public. With 5 participating cities (Kiel, Rendsburg, Eckernförde, Plön and Preetz) and over 30 supporting institutions from the public, private and non-governmental sector, it will be the largest public event dedicated to science in Northern Germany. A multifaceted awareness campaign with live broadcasts during the NIGHTs will reach 80% of the households. More than 100 activities per NIGHT will give the public a chance to personally talk, work and play with scientists thus breaking down stereotypes. SCIENCE4FUTURE will focus on the general themes of identity (to celebrate Europe’s Cultural Heritage), mobility, diversity and Europe, which are ideally suited to showcase the whole spectrum of social, environmental and economic benefits that our researchers achieve every day. Free shuttles will allow visitors (minimum 12,000 expected visitors per NIGHT) to see the broad range of local, national and European research projects in our region. With a careful choice of venues (eg malls, cinemas, night clubs), the involvement of schools, a targeted publicity campaign and a fun-filled programme, the two NIGHTs will attract particularly children and young People, including those usually less interested in academia. Researchers will demonstrate simple “take-home” experiments to teachers, nursery staff and parents to ensure that the interest for research sparked during the event is kept alive beyond the NIGHT. Moreover academic support services (international, student admissions and diversity offices) will offer advice on career options. With the strong support of all stakeholders and the active involvement of over 200 researchers in the design and delivery of the programme SCIENCE4FUTURE will become a regional flagship event.

SCIENCE4FUTURE is the first regional European Researchers’ Night in Northern Germany covering the cities of Kiel, Eckernförde, Plön, Preetz and Rendsburg with more than 650,000 inhabitants. For the first time the NIGHTs 2016/2017 will bring together in one event all of the region’s 14 research organisations comprising all academic disciplines. A multifaceted awareness campaign incl. live broadcasts during the NIGHTs will reach 80% of the households. More than 80 activities per NIGHT across 11 sites/5 towns will give the public the chance to personally talk, work and play with scientists thus breaking down stereotypes and showcasing the whole spectrum of social, environmental and economic benefits that our researchers achieve every day. A free shuttle will allow visitors (minimum 10,000 expected each NIGHT) to see the whole range of local, national and European research projects in our region. Through a careful choice of venues (incl. shopping malls and night clubs) the involvement of schools and youth centres, a targeted publicity campaign and a programme packed with fun-filled activities, these two NIGHTs will attract particularly children and young people including those usually less interested in academia. Researchers will demonstrate simple “take-home” experiments to teachers, nursery staff and parents to ensure that the interest for research sparked among the young during the event is kept alive beyond the NIGHT. Moreover academic support services (research, international, student admissions and diversity offices) will offer advice on career options. SCIENCE4FUTURE will also host special events with and for refugees to facilitate integration of our new citizens through education and research. With the strong support of all stakeholders (companies, authorities, NGOs, schools and nurseries, sponsors, funding agencies, media) and the active involvement of researchers in the design and delivery of the programme SCIENCE4FUTURE will become a regional flagship event.

Successfully launched in 2016, the hugely popular European Researchers’ Night will return in 2022/23 to the Kiel region as a true science festival with a much greater scope in terms of geography, duration and activities. Not only will it bring together all of Kiel region’s 12 research organisations comprising all academic disciplines showcasing their scientists and work to the public, but will also include for the first time activities organised by researchers from Denmark and the European University of the Seas (SEA-EU). Another novelty will be an extended programme of pre-events as well as the school programme with Rent-a-Scientist and Rent-a-Science-Film formats across the region’s five major cities (Kiel, Rendsburg, Eckernförde, Plön, Preetz). This will enhance awareness of the project and its messages and likely attract up to 20.000 visitors each year. Finally, the NIGHT will offer for the first time both online and in-person formats to include more researchers, to reach an even wider audience and to increase the long-term impact by making recordings available after the event. SCIENCE4FUTURE will focus on the themes of Sustainability, Digitality and Europe. A more sustainable approach to the environment, the economy and society supported by research-based digital innovations is the pre-requisite to a prosperous future in Europe and our activities will each be associated with at last one of the Horizon Europe Missions. With the support of over 40 German and Danish institutions, the active involvement of over 300 researchers in the design and delivery of the programme and partners from SEA-EU as well as the public, private and non-governmental sector, SCIENCE4FUTURE thus establishes itself as the only cross-border NIGHT and the largest public event dedicated to science-communication and science-education in Northern Germany.

Approaching its 10th anniversary in 2025, the hugely popular European Researchers’ Night will return in 2024/25 to the Kiel region as a true science festival with a new scope in terms of geography, duration and activities. Not only will it bring together all of Kiel region’s 12 research organisations comprising all academic disciplines showcasing their scientists and work to the public, but will also include for the first time activities organised by our European twinned cities from France and Poland in close collaboration with the European University of the Seas (SEA-EU). Another novelty will be an extended programme of pre-events as well as the Rent-a-Scientist and Rent-a-Science-Film formats across the region’s four major cities and the biggest sea resort (Kiel, Rendsburg, Eckernförde, Plön, Laboe). This will enhance awareness of the project and its messages beyond the region as well as attract more visitors to the NIGHT itself. Finally, the NIGHT will showcase for the first time not only the careers of researchers in and outside of academia, but also employment opportunities in research for non-academic research support staff to ensure the long-term viability of the research sector in our region. SCIENCE4FUTURE will focus on the locally-relevant, internationally significant and interdisciplinary themes of climate change, mobility, health and growth as well as Europe.Through more than 100 different activities in pre-events and during the NIGHT in Kiel region, the general public,young people and educators will learn about the the researchers’ work, their careers and their achievements. With the support of over 40 German, French and Polish institutions, partners from SEA-EU from the public, private and non-governmental sector and the active involvement of over 300 researchers, SCIENCE4FUTURE thus establishes itself as a truly European NIGHT and the largest public event dedicated to science-communication and science-education in Northern Germany.