Strengthening Scicomm across Europe and beyond
Like many other professions, science communicators need to be lifelong learners. Each of us will need to develop new skills over the course of our careers, whether those involve emerging communication platforms and technologies, different sciences, or even changing paradigms of science communication itself.
“Our communication skills need to evolve alongside changes in the media landscape and our own career trajectories,” notes Professor Emma Weitkamp, at the University of the West of England, Bristol.
To cultivate these skills and address the needs of diverse groups, the European Competence Centre for Science Communication, established by the COALESCE Project, initiated a monthly series of lunchtime seminars, co-convened by Prof Weitkamp. Held online and free to attend, the 2-hour seminars have covered topics from misinformation and trust in science to stakeholder engagement and evaluation. “As trainers, it’s exciting to bring together such diverse groups of people – different in geographies, science communication backgrounds and career stages,” says Dr Ilda Mannino, from Venice International University and co-convener of the seminar series.
Partners within COALESCE delivered training from February to July 2026 and over 500 people participated. “We are encouraged by the interest shown not just from Europe but from countries across the globe,” Mannino says, “and we are exploring how we can build communities that share skills to strengthen science communication across Europe and beyond.”
In addition to the training, Mannino, Weitkamp and other colleagues within COALESCE are developing competence frameworks targeting three different groups of people engaged in science communication: communications officers, researchers, and staff working at informal learning providers, such as science centres and museums. Once developed, these frameworks will be shared with the community and will form the foundation for the training provided and facilitated by the Competence Centre.
Training is one of the core services that will be offered by the Competence Centre. So COALESCE has been collecting feedback from participants on training that has already run and this will shape the training for years to come. So far, most people participating in the training are from universities or research institutes and are relatively early in their careers. Most participants have agreed that the training content has been relevant and met their expectations, though there is a suggestion that the sessions should be shorter.
“To date the training has been to large groups online, and this necessarily constrains the way we engage,” Weitkamp explains. “But look out for an exciting offer of autumn and winter training. We are making some changes based on the feedback received, including shorter sessions and training aimed at more senior communicators.”
The next lunchtime training will take place on 14 October 2026: 12.30 – 14.30 CET. The session will be delivered by Paola Rodari, Sissa Media Lab. This session is entitled ‘Promoting Dialogue on Complex, Controversial Issues: The Discussion Game’ and is aimed at intermediate level practitioners, particularly from museums and science centres, research and academic institutions and facilitators working in co-creation. Anyone interested in attending can register in the Competence Centre platform.
