Free online training will help science communicators identify and counter disinformation
A training course on identifying and tackling mis- and disinformation is being offered to science communicators across Europe and beyond.
The free online training will draw on research to provide science communicators with insights into why people are vulnerable to mis- and disinformation and how to spot it. It will also help communicators identify ways they can help to tackle it. This is the first of a series of free monthly bite-sized training sessions to be hosted by the new European Competence Centre for Science Communication.
Anyone who communicates science is welcome to sign up and attend, including journalists, press officers, scientists, bloggers and vloggers.
The training will take place 12.30-2.30pm (CET) on 11 February 2026. Anyone interested in attending should register using this form: https://forms.gle/m4UmJb8HcBX8Nfbn6.
The deadline for registrations is 10am (CET) on Monday 9 February 2026.
This online event will be run by Drs Andy Ridgway and Emma Weitkamp at the Science Communication Unit, University of the West of England, one of the partners in COALESCE, the EU-funded project developing the Competence Centre. The session will be informed by research from former EU-funded science communication projects RETHINK and ENJOI, as well as other research into mis- and disinformation.
“Mis-and disinformation about science is one of the biggest challenges facing society, so we see this training as a priority for the Competence Centre,” says Emma Weitkamp, one of the coordinators of the Centre’s training activities. “Anyone who communicates science, including health and climate research, is welcome to attend. We are particularly keen for freelancers and those who do unpaid science communication work and who don’t normally have access to training, to participate.”
Other online Competence Centre training planned for later in 2026 include sessions addressing trust in science, understanding the audience and its needs and stakeholder engagement.
