A Reflection on Shared Experiences and Challenges.
Date: 29th October 2025
Time: 12:30 – 14:00 CET
Since its launch, European Researchers’ Night (ERN) has connected millions of people with science in vibrant, festival-like celebrations across Europe. Yet as audiences, technologies, and societal challenges evolve, questions are emerging about how ERN can move beyond a single night to create deeper, year-round engagement.
Organisers face new dynamics: shifting school calendars, tighter funding windows, increased competition for public attention, and growing demands for inclusivity and meaningful impact measurement. At the same time, creative formats, street festivals, art-science collaborations, and interactive experiments continue to inspire curiosity and trust in science.
We would love to hear about your ERN experiences this year and how you may adapt your practices for future events.
This session asks:
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Has ERN adapted enough to meet today’s public engagement needs?
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How can organisers balance a one-night spectacle with sustained, long-term science dialogue?
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What lessons can we learn from past editions to make ERN 2025 more impactful, inclusive, and collaborative?
We’ll also explore key tensions:
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Should ERN focus on large, high-visibility events or foster smaller, continuous community connections?
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Can organisers realistically achieve both within existing structures and funding models?
Join us as we reflect on shared experiences, challenges, and innovations—and work together to shape the future of European Researchers’ Night beyond a single night of celebration.
