Project Events Fake News and Conspiracy Theories? Let’s empower ourselves for science! (acronym: oooScience!) are held under the honorary patronage of the President of the Republic of Slovenia, dr. Nataša Pirc Musar.
About
FAKE NEWS AND CONSPIRACY THEORIES? LET’S EMPOWER (OURSELVES FOR) SCIENCE!
Welcome to the website of the project "False News and Conspiracy Theories? Empowering Science!" This project brings together the forces of the University of Maribor and various partners and stakeholders from Eastern and Western Slovenia to raise awareness about the profession of researcher and the benefits that scientists bring to society. The project strives to inspire young people to pursue research careers and promote skills for detecting false news and seeking reliable information.
Our goal:
Raising awareness of the important role of researchers and science in society, stimulating curiosity, empowering society, especially the young and the elderly, to identify fake news and scientific untruths, and encouraging young people to start and develop research careers.
What do we offer?
Before the main event, we are preparing a series of exciting activities, including a national prize competition, visits by researchers to primary and secondary schools, and opportunities for students to immerse themselves in the working environment of researchers. The highlight of the events will be the main event, the European Researchers’ Night, which will take place on the last Friday of September 2024 and 2025.
Join us and take advantage of the opportunity to:
- gain knowledge and skills for recognizing false news and scientific falsehoods,
- discover the attractive profession of researcher, which offers diverse career opportunities in academic and non-academic sectors,
- participate in exciting experiments and interactive learning activities covering current social issues and the latest scientific findings,
- experience the unforgettable European Researchers’ Night in a festival atmosphere, simultaneously taking place in more than 350 European cities,
- engage in relaxed conversations with professional researchers,
- connect with the academic sphere in creating added value for society,
- learn more about how the European Union supports its researchers and much more…
Join us on this exceptional journey of exploring science and research!
When and where?
Project activities will take place from May 2024 to April 2026. During this time, we will organise numerous educational activities and events in a relaxed festival atmosphere at various Maribor, Krško, Koper, and Izola locations.
You are invited to join us!
How to get involved?
Participation is free. For groups larger than 10 participants wishing to attend live events, please register by emailing ern@um.si for events organised by the University of Maribor or science.centre@upr.si for events organised by the University of Primorska. More information and details about individual activities within the project can be found in the rich program HERE. Don’t miss the opportunity for education, research, discussion, and fun! 💡🔍
The oooScience! project has received funding from the EU, Horizon Europe, MSCA & Citizens program.
SPEECH OF THE HONORARY PATRON
Project Events Fake News and Conspiracy Theories? Let's empower ourselves for science! (acronym: oooScience!) are held under the honorary patronage of the President of the Republic of Slovenia, dr. Nataša Pirc Musar.
program
Take a look at the program of events and join us on an exciting journey of learning about science!
Recycling and Reuse of Materials
Discussions with UP Alumni: Connecting Science with Everyday Life
Libraries: Gateway to Open Access and Lifelong Learning (workshop)
Testimonials of partners and participants
“Fake news and conspiracy theories? Let’s empower (ourselves for) science! is a project of significant importance for Slovenia. It will help promote critical thinking and increase scientific literacy. The latter is our best defence against disinformation. In the age of social networks, disinformation and conspiracy theories are spreading at an incredible rate. We are witnessing the prevalence of personal opinion over fact and the making of generalized judgments on complex issues in society and the world. We live in a time in which too often more trust is put in influencers than scientists, in pseudoscience than science. In such a world, the role of science and education in fostering critical thinking and understanding of the world around us is immense. Promoting science and encouraging critical thinking is therefore crucial. As the President of Slovenia, I am aware that we must actively fight against deception and for the truth, against disinformation and hate speech, at all levels of society. Therefore, I support the project Fake news and conspiracy theories with honorary patronage, and I wish for a lot of imitators in society and academia.“
“The University of Primorska (UP) is delighted to participate in the ‘oooScience!’ project, as it addresses some of the most pressing issues of our time. UP has long emphasized citizen science, and we are pleased that through this project, we will further strengthen our activities in this area. Promoting and raising awareness among the general public about the importance of the research profession is one of the important tasks that universities (and other research organisations) have. Therefore, it is important for research organisations to open their doors to a broader interested audience and thus present the profession and work of a researcher. The issue of false news is another area where universities can collaborate with the wider public using their knowledge. We see our role in this field primarily as knowledge disseminators, enabling the wider public to critically assess the vast amount of information (including false information) we are exposed to daily.”
“Amidst a growing flood of disinformation and conspiracy theories, it is crucial for our society to enhance our scientific awareness and foster critical thinking. With the slogan ‘False News and Conspiracy Theories? Empower Science!’ we focus on raising public awareness about the significant contribution and impact of researchers and their work on the sustainable and environmentally friendly development of various societal sectors, while also strengthening the ability to recognize false information. Our central goal is to provide broader access to the world of research and the development of research careers, alongside the care provided by the European Union, especially for young people, through relaxed interactions with professional researchers in a festival atmosphere. Therefore, we invite you to our inspiring world, where research passion, thrilling discoveries, and perspectives intertwine, stretching from this moment to the unseen horizons of time and space!”
