View source for Science on Stage Europe

{{Orphan|date=June 2024}}

The '''European initiative Science on Stage''' - initially launched as Physics on Stage in 1999 – is designed for European teachers to share [[Best practice|good practice]] in [[science]] teaching and to discuss (new) ways of improving the quality of science lessons. This is driven by the foreseen lack of young scientists in all [[European countries]]. Science on Stage Europe believes that a good way to encourage schoolchildren to consider a career in [[science]] or [[engineering]] is to motivate and educate their teachers. Therefore, Science on Stage Europe provides a forum for science teachers to exchange teaching ideas and gives them access to science teaching resources.

== History ==

=== Physics on Stage ===

Organised by [[Eiroforum|EIROforum]], a collaboration of European research organisations, the initiative Science on Stage began in 1999 as Physics on Stage (POS),<ref name="Physics on Stage">[http://physicsonstage.web.cern.ch/physicsonstage/index.html Physics on Stage], official website of the Physics on Stage festival 2000.</ref> with financial support from the [[European Commission]] [POS was half funded by EIROforum]. [[Eiroforum|EIROforum]] launched the initiative to address the decreasing numbers of young physicists. The first Physics on Stage festival was at [[CERN]] in [[Geneva]], [[Switzerland]], in 2000.<ref name="Physics on Stage" /> Over the course of an inspiring week, more than 500 teachers from 22 countries shared activities and projects in a fair, in workshops, in performances and in presentations showed that physics can be fun. On the back of this success, Physics on Stage 2 was arranged in 2002 at [[ESA]] in [[Noordwijk]], the [[Netherlands]]. Physics on Stage 3 followed a year later at the same location.

=== Science on Stage ===

The members of [[Eiroforum|EIROforum]] soon realised that the lack of young scientists was not limited to the field of physics, so the initiative was broadened to cover all sciences and renamed Science on Stage. The first Science on Stage festival <ref name="Science on Stage festival 2005">[http://science-on-stage.web.cern.ch/science-on-stage/ Science on Stage festival 2005], official website.</ref> took place in 2005, again at [[CERN]] in [[Geneva]], and the second in 2007 at [[European Synchrotron Radiation Facility|ESRF]]/[[Institut Laue–Langevin|ILL]] in [[Grenoble]], [[France]]. The format of the Physics on Stage festivals remained and still remains unchanged. In May 2008, the financial support of the [[European Commission]] ran out. In March 2009, under the guidance of Stage on Stage Germany <ref name="Science on Stage Germany">[http://www.science-on-stage.de/ Science on Stage Germany], official website.</ref> the 27 European
countries involved unanimously affirmed their wish to continue the cooperation. All participants stressed the importance of regular European festivals as the flagship of the European Science on Stage activities. Alternative funding would be sought for the festivals. In October 2008, the first of these alternatively funded Science on Stage festivals took place at Urania in [[Berlin]], organised by Science on Stage Germany <ref name="Science on Stage Germany" /> and sponsored by THINK ING.,<ref name="THINK ING.">[http://www.think-ing.de/ THINK ING.], official website.</ref> an initiative of the Federation of German Employers‘ Associations in the Metal and Electrical Engineering Industries. The second alternatively funded European Science on Stage festival took place from 16–19 April 2011 at the Ørestad Gymnasium <ref name="Ørestad Gymnasium">[http://www.oerestadgym.dk/welcome/ Ørestad Gymnasium], upper secondary school in Copenhagen, Denmark.</ref> in [[Copenhagen]] under the motto “Science Teaching: Winning Hearts and Minds”. It was funded by the Danish Ministry of Education and organised by Danish Science Communication and the Science on Stage Europe office. The next Science on Stage festival will take place from 25–28 April 2013 in Slubice and Frankfurt/Oder at the German-Polish border. For the first time, the festival will be organised by two countries, represented by the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poland and Science on Stage Germany, under the motto “Crossing Borders in Science Teaching”. 350 science teachers from across Europe will present their most innovative teaching ideas, workshops and performances. Participants are chosen at competitive national events or processes in each country involved.

== Organisation ==

Initially launched as an initiative in 2008, Science on Stage Europe became an officially registered [[non-profit association]] in January 2012, with headquarters in Berlin and recognised by German law.

Science on Stage Europe is organised in a [[Top-down and bottom-up design#Management and organization|bottom-up]] structure. The basis is the Science on Stage community in the participating countries. Each country has a national steering committee (NSC). The NSCs get together in the Science on Stage assembly and elect the [[executive board]]. The board is supported by invited [[experts]] and by the Science on Stage Europe office in [[Berlin]]. The Science on Stage international festivals take place every two years, as the culmination of all the national Science on Stage activities. The festivals are organised jointly by a European festival programme committee and a national organising committee.

== The countries involved ==
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
* {{flag|Austria}} <ref name="Science on Stage Austria">[http://www.scienceonstage.at/ Science on Stage Austria], official website.</ref>
* {{flag|Belgium}} <ref name="Science on Stage Belgium">[http://www.scienceonstage.be/ Science on Stage Belgium], official website.</ref>
* {{flag|Bulgaria}}
* {{flag|Canada}} <ref name="Science on Stage Canada">[http://www.scienceonstage.ca/ Science on Stage Canada], official website.</ref>
* {{flag|Cyprus}}
* {{flag|Czech Republic}} <ref name="Science on Stage Czech Republic">[http://www.science-on-stage.cz/ Science on Stage Czech Republic], official website.</ref>
* {{flag|Denmark}} <ref name="Science on Stage Denmark">[http://formidling.dk/sw41327.asp Science on Stage Denmark @ Dansk Naturvidenskabsformidling] website.</ref>
* {{flag|Finland}}
* {{flag|France}}
* {{flag|Germany}} <ref name="Science on Stage Germany" />
* {{flag|Greece}}
* {{flag|Hungary}}
* {{flag|Ireland}} <ref name="Science on Stage Ireland">[http://www.scienceonstage.ie/ Science on Stage Ireland], official website.</ref> 
* {{flag|Italy}} <ref name="Science on Stage Italy">[http://www.science-on-stage.it/ Science on Stage Italy], official website.</ref>
* {{flag|Lithuania}}
* {{flag|Luxembourg}}
* {{flag|Malta}}
* {{flag|Netherlands}}
* {{flag|Norway}}
* {{flag|Poland}} <ref name="Science on Stage Poland">[http://www.sons.amu.edu.pl/ Nauki Przyrodnicze na Scenie - Science on Stage Poland]</ref>
* {{flag|Portugal}}
* {{flag|Romania}}
* {{flag|Slovakia}} <ref name="Science on Stage Slovakia">[http://www.science-on-stage.sk/ Science on Stage Slovakia]</ref>
* {{flag|Slovenia}}
* {{flag|Spain}} <ref name="Science on Stage Spain">[http://www.cienciaenaccion.org Science on Stage Spain @ Ciencia en Acción] website.</ref>
* {{flag|Sweden}} <ref name="Science on Stage Sweden">[http://www.vetenskapenshus.se Science on Stage Sweden @ Vetenskapens Hus] website.</ref>
* {{flag|Switzerland}}
* {{flag|United Kingdom}}
{{div col end}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}

== External links ==
* [http://science-on-stage.eu Science on Stage Europe, official website]
* [http://www.scienceinschool.org/2009/issue13/sons Article in Science in School magazine, Issue 13]
* [http://www.scienceinschool.org/2010/issue16/sons Article in Science in School magazine, Issue 16]

[[Category:Education in Europe]]
[[Category:Internet forums]]
[[Category:Science education]]