Working Groups

This group has successfully co-ordinated general outreach and communication activities for EIROforum – and has been particularly successful in instigating pan-European science education activities and initiatives.

The group is responsible for the external face of EIROforum with regard to general communication issues.  It organises exhibition stands at major European conferences and exhibitions – including the biennial ESOF (Euroscience Open Forum) event, launch conferences for EC framework programmes etc.  It also has subgroups dedicated to maintaining and updating the EIROforum website and for liaising with the media. 

In addition, the group has always taken a special interest in European science education, recognising the key role EIROforum can play in enthusing and informing science teachers and students, to try to arrest the decline in students moving into science in higher education or as a career. With support from the EC, the group organised five Physics (latterly Science) on Stage events – week-long celebrations of science teaching – in which hundreds of European science teachers gathered to swap ideas and experiences through workshops, an interactive fair arena and performances. The legacy of these events has been a strong network of science teachers across Europe - keen to continue organising large national and European events of a similar nature.

The other main initiative of the group in the education arena is the publication of the quarterly Science in School journal to promote inspiring science teaching across Europe. The group oversees the content of the journal and employs two editors to put together each issue. It covers not only biology, physics and chemistry, but also maths and earth sciences, highlighting the best in teaching and cutting-edge research, and focusing on interdisciplinary work. There is a wide range of content, including teaching activities, education projects, interviews with young scientists and inspiring teachers, events for teachers, reviews of teaching materials, and reports on cutting edge science at EIROforum organisations and beyond. Science in School is freely available in English via 30 000 printed copies distributed all across Europe, and online in over 25 European languages.