REACT · REsearchers in Industry and ACademy for Technology Development

In liaison with the objectives of the Researchers’ Night initiative under the Framework programme of the European Commission, and the previous experience of the consortium, the project REACT sets as its main goal to enhance public recognition of researchers and their role for economic growth and quality of life and to encourage young people in Bulgaria to embark on scientific career. Especially the accents towards young generation will be stressed on as the European Partnership for Researchers once more time confirm the urgent need of increased efforts towards overcoming the problem not only with the shortages of researchers in some regions and industries but also growing ageing of the research labour force. The situation will get worse if young people are not attracted into the profession and if the present under-representation of women in science and engineering is not addressed.For achieving the main goal, the following project objectives are defined:-to disclose to the public the hidden sides of life and work of researchers, and to break down the stereotypes of scientists especially towards their age;-to raise the public awareness on the contribution of researchers to economy and society, to its progress and development and to tackle the existing prejudice towards their profession to be abstract and not linked to everyday life;-to show to large public the central role of researchers in the economy and benefits they bring for increasing economic competitiveness and quality of life;-to highlight the EU emphasis and large support to its researchers and the mobility opportunities for them in the large European labour market;-to make science and the respective career attractive for young people introducing them the collaboration between industry and academia and possibilities for inter-sector mobility.