Science is the poetry of reality and 15 Bulgarian universities, research institutes and NGO partners join together in SEARCH to prove the statement that, combining Science + Environment + Art will bring Resilience for European Researchers Night in 2022-23. The experienced consortium led by Center for Research & Analysis and numerous associated partners bring longitudinal insight from their own 5 years’ partnership as well as EU and national findings in this 24-month project which aims to assert among the general public the crucial role of science in society and its relevance to everyday lives, and heighten young people’s interest in research careers, including of those from small towns and villages, and young people with disabilities. True to our approach, our country-wide, hybrid, multidisciplinary, hands-on programme of science and art events will focus on one central topic per year – the most versatile material in human history and its essential role in society, for technological, scientific and economic advancement – glass (UN International Year of Glass 2022), and the most urgent existential choices humanity needs to make – adapting to climate change, one of the new EU Missions supporting the European Green Deal. SEARCH for the popular formats of researchers’ public engagement like inspiring talks, spectacular shows and hands-on experiments, a range of sci-art collaborations, researchers at schools activities, and the innovative Young Voices podcasts and Instagram Looking Glass competitions. We will reach 3.6 mln, and engage with 30,000 direct participants online and offline, including teachers and school pupils, and along with boosting public engagement skills of researchers and teachers, we will demonstrate irrevocably how relevant, exciting and important the job of researchers is, and encourage young Bulgarians, especially girls and people with special needs to choose STEAM careers.

Twenty partners in Bulgaria come together for European Researchers Night ‘20 to present FRESHER (Find Research Everywhere, SHare and expERience) - a 12-month project led by the Centre for Research & Analysis, in a Consortium, now in its 5th year, with the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, universities, research institutes, the only Bulgarian tech park, a chamber of industry and commerce, the local office of a pan-European organisation, education entrepreneurship, and associate partners. FRESHER offers a series of specially curated, coordinated, multi-day participatory events at over 50 venues and 30+ schools in 25 cities/towns/villages. The talks, shows, hands-on experiments, lab visits, citizen research, competitions will reach 3.6 mln, and engage directly with 30,000 in face-to-face events at schools, libraries, museums, academic and outdoor venues, public transport and online. Building on well researched, popular formats for researchers’ engagement with the public, FRESHER provides multidisciplinary content around the International Year of Plant Health. The topic will feature in the programmes of all partners to assert the relevance of research to everyday life. Building on the Consortium’s existing understanding developed through previous local initiatives including Researchers Night, and addressing findings of research (MASIS report, Education & Training Monitor 2019 for Bulgaria, Women in Digital Scoreboard 2019, Science, Research & Innovation Performance in EU 2018), FRESHER focuses on enhancing public engagement with research and shortening the gap in the decision of young people and girls in particular to choose STEAM careers. The activities will step on previous evaluation and generate fresh, aligned data. The project will strengthen the capacity of all partners to organise accessible events for the general public, and to tailor messages for underserved audiences, including girls, young people at risk of school drop-out, as well as people with special needs.

REFRESH (Relate, Experience, Find Research Everywhere and SHare) is a 20-month project led by Centre for Research & Analysis with 20 partners and 27 associates. The Consortium includes 14 academic institutions, Bulgaria’s only tech park, a chamber of industry and commerce, the local office of a pan-European organisation, education entrepreneurships and a media outlet. The main ideas on which the proposal relies are coordinated, multi-city and international series events under a single, recognisable brand, with similar (familiar) formats but with fresh (and well communicated) content, led by central multidisciplinary themes in 2018 (European Year of Cultural Heritage) and sport (European Capital of Sport Sofia), and culture (European Capital of Culture Plovdiv 2019). Building on the Consortium’s existing understanding, developed through previous local initiatives including Researchers Night, and addressing findings of research (Special Eurobarometer 401, the MASIS report , the in-depth Education and Training Monitor 2017 for Bulgaria , the recently published Communication on Strengthening the European Identity through Education and Culture , REFRESH focusses on enhancing the public understanding of and engagement with science, encouraging children especially girls, to study STEM subjects. The participatory events will reach 3.6 mln, and engage 80,000 in least 14 cities/towns with live-streaming, face-to-face events at schools, libraries, museums, city venues and public transport, science talks and shows; hands-on experiments, lab visits and citizen science. The activities of the first year will allow learning to accrue from a thorough evaluation. The project will strengthen the capabilities of the partners in organising events for a general audience in open access format, and for underserved audiences, including girls and young people at risk of school drop-out, as well as young people with special needs.