Communications Project for the Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology (BMVIT)

Project Period

16th and 17th November 2005

Start Situation

There are 500,000 too few researchers in natural sciences in the EU. Austria should have 48,000 scientists when compared with Germany, but in reality, there are only 32,000. The need to catch up is most acute in regards to young scientists.

Concept

communication matters conceptualized the project  “Tage der jungen Forschung – open space for open minds” for the Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology (BMVIT) to combat this deficit. . The project took place on 16th and 17th November, 2005 in Vienna, as a pilot program. The project should be continued and expanded throughout Austria after its success in Vienna.

Dialog Groups  / Definition of Targets

Around 100 school students should get close, realistic, practical experience about research and researchers.

The BMVIT wants to discover what young people think about research and what they imagine research to be like.

The members of the Science Committee of the Austrian Parliament politically responsible for research should be informed of the results.

The public should be informed about the project and the image young people have of science using the media.

Strategy

Mutual information exchange should be achieved through two-way, symmetric communication in a relaxed, group-dynamic process without hierarchy. The experiences gathered should help give the school students a realistic picture of science and give the BMVIT important information about the image young people have about research and science.

Implemeantation  - Setting of Event

Around 100 school students in the penultimate, school year of their general secondary education in Vienna were brought together with 10 young researchers. The participants got their first close contact with research