EUniWell doctoral candidates take part in science outreach training in Nantes
As part of its ongoing commitment to fostering research excellence and societal engagement, Nantes Université recently hosted the Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) “Explaining my research to my neighbours”. The initiative brought together doctoral candidates from five EUniWell member institutions, alongside two universities from the Baltic region, for a collaborative learning experience focused on science communication and public engagement.
Hands-on learning: Communicating science to diverse audiences
The programme, which began with an online preparatory phase, introduced participants to the concept of science communication and the importance of well-being in early-stage research careers. It also highlighted the work of the Well-being centre for young researchers, supporting the development of communication competencies aligned with personal and professional well-being.
The in-person training week held in Nantes provided an immersive exploration of diverse communication techniques—ranging from oral presentation and storytelling to graphic facilitation and audience-specific messaging. Particular attention was given to strategies for engaging young audiences, helping participants consider how their research can be made accessible, relevant, and inspiring to non-specialist communities.
Led by the science popularisation department at Nantes Université, the programme concluded with a series of public presentations and round-table discussions. These sessions offered doctoral candidates the opportunity to share their communication outputs with an audience of academics and practitioners who actively promote dialogue between science and society.
Empowering researchers to connect with society
This BIP exemplifies EUniWell’s mission to support researchers in becoming proactive ambassadors of knowledge. By equipping early-career researchers with the tools to effectively communicate their work beyond academia, the programme reinforces the Alliance’s goal to promote inclusive knowledge dissemination and inspire future generations of researchers.
We extend our sincere thanks to the science popularisation team at Nantes Université - Mathilde Lagarde, Ulysse Pedreira-Segade, Carole Achard, Brunehilde Richard, Quentin Gaillard, Nadine Allanic and Thibault Delumeau (labo GEPEA), to our valued external collaborators Renaud Combes, Adrien Gibier and to the roundtable speakers (Yann Pellegrin (labo CEISAM), Agnès Baltzer (labo LETG) and Thibault Delumeau . We are also grateful to our EUniWell partners Isabel Neira and Carmela Martinez Vispo (Universidade de Santiago de Compostela), and Joacim Hansson (Linnaeus University), for their active participation and support.
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