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Kick-off event for the 4th edition of the Reimagine Science programme (Photo: Barcelona Science Park).
 20.10.2023

More than 2,000 students in Catalonia participate in the launch of the 4th edition of “Reimagine Science”

More than 2,000 secondary students throughout Catalonia participate in the launch of the fourth edition of “Reimagine science: Clinical trials, research and development of medicines”, a programme led by Novartis in collaboration with Barcelona Science Park -with the support of the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT) of the Ministry of Science and Innovation- and Big Van Ciencia that wants to bring clinical research closer to both students and teachers to reflect together, through new formats, on the importance, development and the factors and agents that are involved.

To inspire the young people’s proposals, scientists from Big Van Ciencia have performed different shows of scientific monologues in the Aula Magna of the Biology Faculty of the University of Barcelona. Here almost 1,300 students have participated in person, but the activity has also reached centres via streaming with more than 700 students taking part. In this way, a total of 66 schools from different parts of Catalonia have enrolled to encourage their students to take part in activities related to science and research.

Available to all young students in Catalonia until 15 December 

“Reimagine Science: Clinical trials, research and development of medicines” is a programme aimed at students from the 1st year of ESO [obligatory secondary education] to the 2nd year of Baccalaureate in Catalan schools. Accompanied by Big Van Ciencia throughout the process, the young students have until 15 December 2023 to present their candidatures via their teachers through the RESSÒ programme website.

True to its commitment to the new generations and a curious and inspiring culture, Novartis has developed a series of educational materials together with Big Van Ciencia that are adapted to the students’ curriculums, based on eLearning tools. These materials are accompanied by a teacher training course to increase their narrative and artistic abilities when transmitting key concepts to their students related to clinical trials and the development of medicines.

The initiative will end with a final gala on 15 December 2023, where the finalists will creatively present the contents learned during the project and compete for the winning video. For this purpose, the programme suggest participants use the theatrical genre of the humorous monologue to bring the performing arts closer to young people through a format that is close to them and that uses language they find very attractive. As well as monologues, songs, animated videos, dramatised sketches or flash movies will be accepted. By combining it with scientific content, the process is fun and educational.

“Reimagine Science” is framed within the RESSÒ programme of Barcelona Science Park, supported by the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT) of the Ministry of Science and Innovation, and Barcelona City Council. The programme organises more than 100 annual activities. And in 2018, with the Barcelona Educational Innovation Award of Barcelona City Council, which recognises the educational innovation initiatives carried out in the city to promote training opportunities and social inclusion.