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Logo Universität Bayreuth
Two people recording a podcast.

Focus point Science Communication

Ivory tower no more! The days when scientific topics were mainly covered in English-language journals are long gone. The diversity of channels and the appetite for unusual formats is also massively changing the way we communicate at university. Examples? Hundreds of enthusiastic children in the Audimax of the University of Bayreuth learn about artificial intelligence, citizens engage in discussions with scientists at public lecture series or in the 'Bayreuther Stadtgespräch' format; hard-working hobby mappers provide valuable support for a nature atlas of the region, tens of thousands of people click on YouTube videos of the '6 Minuten Jura' series or listen to podcasts from the Chair of Marketing & Sports Management (MAS) or from Media Studies ('Beyond Bayreuth').

The communication of and about scientific issues and results with various target groups outside the university and their active involvement offers a fantastic opportunity to convey complex information in a generally understandable way, to receive direct feedback and to actively include other perspectives and virulent issues in the structuring of the scientific knowledge acquisition process – an emotional and content-related enrichment! But also work in an area that requires the necessary theoretical knowledge and methodological skills. We would like to support you in the diverse possibilities in the field of Science Communication. Because it is becoming increasingly important, and is also an integral part of the university contract, to make research results accessible to a broad public on a wide variety of platforms in the most vivid way possible and thus make them understandable, the demands on all researchers, doctoral students, postdocs and employees of the various service centres and all other university institutions that are directly or indirectly involved in Science Communication have also grown considerably. This is all the more the case as, according to an announcement by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Science Communication will become "an integral part of all funding guidelines and funded research projects – regardless of the respective scientific field".

Prof. Dr. Harald Lesch
I find it incredibly important, in a country so reliant on science and research, that science and research reach the public, that universities open their windows, as Pope John XXIII once said, to let fresh air into academia and allow the public to somehow drive research. People have a right to have science address issues that concern them.

Scientist and author Professor Harald Lesch talks about science communication

Against this backdrop, the University of Bayreuth has launched a broad-based Scicomm initiative to raise even more awareness for this topic. This is certainly best achieved through comprehensive information and the willingness of everyone to get involved. And because as many members of the university as possible need to be informed, the UBT has put together a training programme that provides information on the most important aspects of this challenging topic. 

Good to know: The UBT offers the training programmes without any financial contribution. However, so that as many researchers and students as possible can benefit from these training programmes, we would like to point out that, in the interests of equal opportunities, you should not register for several basic seminars, but only for one. Thank you for your understanding. Below is an initial overview of the first seminars and workshops that will be offered from autumn 2024. We would like to point out that the following seminars and training courses on the subject of science communication can only be used by members of the University of Bayreuth.

Training seminars on the topic of Science Communication

Registration for the “Spring School 2025” now open

Why should scientists seek dialog with the public? How do research topics get into the media? What makes good science communication? And what platforms and channels do scientists have at their disposal to communicate directly with the public? These are just some of the questions that will be discussed and answered with experienced science communicators at the Wisskomm Spring School from May 19 to May 22, 2025. The seminar will take place in digital form, from 8 a.m. to 10.30 a.m. on all days. The seminar is particularly suitable for interested parties who do not yet have much experience with the topic of science communication. A total of ten places are available for UBT students (postdocs and above). The seminar language is German.

Diverse Zeitungen, eine Kamera und ein Handy liegen auf einem Tisch

Here we go: Science Slam! – Rock the stage with your special topic!

Publikum bei einer Science Slam Veranstaltung.

There is a wide range of science communication formats. One of the most exciting ways to make your scientific specialty known to a wide audience is the science slam. Here, scientists present a topic in a maximum of ten minutes - preferably in an entertaining way. That sounds easy. And it is, as long as you are well prepared. We are therefore all the more pleased that a science slam workshop (online, on June 2 and 6, 2025) is now also being offered at the University of Bayreuth, for which we were able to win the nationwide agency “Science Slam” from Hamburg as a partner. Why are we working with them? Because they know exactly what they're talking about and how to present their scientific findings on stage in such a way that the audience really gets involved.

Important note: As we want as many researchers as possible to have the opportunity to participate in further training, we ask you to register for only one seminar within a semester.

The Scicomm-ABC

How do you define Science Communication? Who has which expectations of Science Communication? What should you do and what not? What formats, what hurdles, what suggestions are there? We provide you with questions, explanations and tips on the subject of Science Communication in our Scicomm-list from A to Z.

Your contact for Science Communication

Do you have a request or a question about Science Communication? Please feel free to contact me. I will always try to help you. You can usually reach me in the office from Monday to Thursday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., otherwise of course by e-mail.

Gert-Dieter Meier

Gert Dieter Meier

Science Communication, Press, Marketing and Communication Department

Phone: +49 (0)921 / 55-5356
E-mail: gert.meier@uni-bayreuth.de  

Zentrale Universitätsverwaltung (ZUV), Office 3.09
Universitätsstraße 30, 95447 Bayreuth 

'High education can be proven by knowing how to explain the most complicated things in a simple way.'

The Irish poet Georg Bernard Shaw (1856 – 1950) describes an important realisation of Science Communication with this clever sentence. However, the realisation of this insight remains complex. This makes it all the more important to consider the experiences, insights and knowledge of others who have already worked intensively on the topic of Science Communication. These reading tips should also contribute to this.

Webmaster: onlineredaktion@uni-bayreuth.de