The OCC-UPF participates in the major European project of Science in Society

ECSITE, EUSCEA, ERRIN –the two main networks of science communication and the network of local and regional authorities in Europe– and the Observatory of Science Communication of the Pompeu Fabra University (OCC-UPF) start up "PLACES: Platform of Local Authorities and Communicators Engaged in Science" with the objective to establish and develop the brand "European Cities of Scientific Culture"

PLACES (Platform of Local Authorities and Communicators Engaged in Science) is a four-year European project funded with more than EUR 5 million (the largest of this call of the 7 Framework Programme) whose objectives are the establishment and development of the “European Cities of Scientific Culture" concept.

The project focuses on developing and strengthening partnerships between local governments, science museums and organizers of major scientific events in the form of "City Partnerships" and local action programs.

PLACES is driven by the leading European network of museums and science centres (ECSITE). Three other entities are also involved in the consortium: the largest network of organizers of scientific events (EUSCEA), ), the European network of local and regional administrations (ERRIN) and the OCC-UPF.

The researcher responsible for this project in the University Pompeu Fabra is Vladimir de Semir, Director of the OCC-UPF. Besides it is also involved Gema Revuelta (who is the responsible of the general management of research) and Sergi Cortiñas, both from the Department of Communication at the UPF.

The role of the Observatory of Science Communication in this project is crucial because throughout the next four years it will be responsible for mobilizing and coordinating a group of 27 other researchers in the field of Science in Society (from all over the Europe-27) to establish the basis on how to measure the impact of science communication activities (in society, economy, welfare, etc.). From this research, the OCC will make recommendations to the European Commission and all the scientific communication agents of the international community.

The work, coordinated by the OCC-UPF, has also a practical component consisting of 30 case studies (10 science museums, 10 scientific events and 10 cities with a strong presence of the dissemination of scientific culture at the European level). In this part, the tools to measure the impact, agreed by the international group of researchers led by the team of the UPF, will be tested.

PLACES collects, continues and expands the strategic action previously performed by the project ESCITY (Europe Science and the City: Promoting Scientific Culture at local level), who led the l'Institut de Cultura de Barcelona and the OCC-UPF between 2006 and 2008 in the context of the 6 European Framework Program.

The OCC-UPF is also involved in two other European projects: STEPE (Sensitive Technologies and European Public Ethics) and e-KnowNet.

Summary of PLACES project

More information in the website of ECSITE