The Trinity International Development Initiative (TIDI) is an innovative, new, network at Trinity College Dublin (TCD) which coordinates the university’s contribution to addressing global development challenges, through research, teaching and outreach activities. TIDI was established in 2007 by a group of researchers from different disciplines who were interested in working together to understand and address challenges such as climate change, HIV/AIDS and socioeconomic disadvantage.

Scientists
The Faculty of Science (FoS) of the Charles University in Prague presented its new communication concept called SCIENTISTS in early November last year. The objective of this concept is to approach elementary and secondary school students & teachers, media, education industry experts, as well as the general public.

Raising interest in the (natural) sciences among young generations can only be successful if we use channels that they use in their everyday lives, and respond to their changed habits of accessing information. University education and scientific research can thus reach out to secondary school students if it uses the language of their visual and mediatised culture, embraces portable info-communication technologies, and encourges the use of web.2 solutions.

Vienna Children’s University [KinderuniWien]

Introduction and Background

Engaging and inspiring young people in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) has long been identified as an area of key strategic importance economically, developmentally and socially . Studies such as the Royal Society’s 2005 “Taking a Leading Role” identify role models and meeting professional scientists as key factors in career and study choices, while organizations such as STEMNET have been formed to “increase young people’s choices and chances through STEM.”