Science Comes to Town

What is Science Comes to Town?

Science Comes to Town (SCTT) is a Europe-wide initiative that will make science visible and tangible throughout 2026 in the cities of Kiel, Brest, and Split. The project is part of the EU-funded UNITES program and brings together over 70 partner institutions from science, education, culture, and civil society.

The aim of SCTT is to strengthen the dialogue between research and society through more than 1,000 events for various target groups: from schoolchildren, students, and teachers to citizens, decision-makers, and scientists themselves.

The initiative has three overarching goals:

• to promote trust in science and strengthen its social responsibility,

• to support innovation and transfer between research, talent, and start-ups,

• and to promote science-based policy—for example, through real-world laboratories and policy briefs.

Thematically, Science Comes to Town focuses on the following five areas:

The Sea and Water; Health and Well-being; Talent; Cultural Heritage; and Sustainability and Europe. Together, these areas provide the framework for a variety of scientific and social encounters in Kiel and beyond.

Participatory formats offer new ways to conduct your own research and experience science firsthand, both in the city and at events like the EUCYS. This event brings together winners of national STEM competitions for young researchers from across Europe in Kiel.

How is the IPN involved?

As an educational research institution, the IPN contributes its expertise to the development and implementation of formats that tailor science to different target groups – from schools and teacher training to specialist events for researchers.

As part of Science Comes to Town, the IPN is involved in various projects and organizes its own events as one of the partner institutions. For example, it supported the joint creation project launched in 2025 with the Kiel Science Outreach Lab. Citizens from Kiel and the surrounding region were invited to develop their own research questions and projects. In December, a panel of experts selected projects from the submissions that will be implemented in collaboration with scientists during the SCTT year.

In fall 2026, the Kiel Science Outreach Lab will also organize three lectures for the Children's University in the main lecture hall of Kiel University. This popular format for children and teens ages 8 to 14 will take place on a total of six dates simultaneously in all three SCTT cities. Professor Katrin Mahlkow-Nerge from the Department of Sustainable Agriculture at HAW Kiel will kick off the series in Kiel in January with a lecture entitled “The nature of cows – understanding cows better.” Further dates will follow on February 18 and March 18, from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. each day, also at HAW Kiel. From October to December, the lectures will continue on the Kiel University campus.

Click here for further information on the Kiel Science Outreach Lab website (website in german): https://www.forschungs-werkstatt.de/aktuelles/jetzt-anmelden-kinderuni-2026/

The IPN is participating in the Europe-wide initiative Science Comes to Town 2026 organized by the cities of Kiel, Brest, and Split with event formats for schools, teacher training, and specialized events for researchers, among others, aiming to strengthen the dialogue between research and society.

An overview of all planned events can be found in the Europe-wide event calendar on the official Science Comes to Town project website:

Click here for the event calendar at https://sciencecomestotown.eu/en/events

How can you get involved?

Science Comes to Town is all about participation and getting involved.

Whether you are a school student, teacher, university student, researcher, or interested citizen—everyone is invited to join us and learn about science in its many facets.

If you would like to find out more about the IPN's involvement or have your own project idea, please feel free to contact us:

Contact:

Where can I find more information?

All information is available on the international project website: www.sciencecomestotown.eu

and on the Science Comes to Kiel project website: https://www.wissenschafftzukunft-kiel.de/en/science_comes_to_town/index.php

About Science Comes to Town:

In 2026, Kiel, Brest, and Split can look forward to a year of science: the EU-funded international project Science Comes to Town is bringing festivals, hands-on activities, workshops, and participatory formats to cities and regions. Citizens can look forward to a varied annual program that will spark their curiosity and whet their appetite for science. The project is jointly led by the KielRegion and the state capital Kiel. The EU Office of Kiel University is responsible for project coordination.

EU funding:

The Science Comes to Town project is funded by the European Union. The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency. The European Union and the funding authority cannot be held responsible for them.