How do we talk about freedom? Looking for ideas for interactive communication

The university competition as part of the Year of Science 2024 – Freedom invites students, PhD candidates and early-career researchers from all disciplines to submit ideas for communication initiatives centred on the theme of freedom. We are looking for proposals that bring members of the public into dialogue with researchers. These can focus on a wide variety of aspects of freedom: inclusion and accessibility, education for democracy, artistic freedom, climate protests and the freedom of future generations, or even the use of artificial intelligence. The twelve winning teams will each receive 10,000 euros to put their ideas into practice. The deadline for applications is 30 November 2023.

Freedom can never be taken for granted. Current political developments remind us of this time and again. Democratic systems are under pressure worldwide. In Germany, too, the rise of right-wing populism, for example, threatens our open society. Which freedoms are important to us? What conditions are necessary to make them possible? What do we actually mean by the concept of freedom? And how can we continue to defend and renegotiate freedoms today?

The communication projects in the 2024 University Competition are intended to encourage reflection and discussion on our understanding of freedom and its value. Whether it is a simulation game exploring the significance of political inclusion, a play on the theme of freedom of expression, or a podcast bringing young people into dialogue with those who have lived under dictatorships: we are looking for innovative and interactive project ideas that examine the topic from different perspectives. Aspects from the humanities, social sciences, cultural studies and the arts are just as welcome as perspectives from the natural sciences. The university competition expressly encourages early-career researchers from all disciplines, as well as interdisciplinary teams, to submit their ideas.

The twelve best proposals will each receive 10,000 euros, to be used to implement the ideas. In addition, the winning teams will take part in workshops and training sessions on science communication and will be included in the competition’s alumni network. The aim of the competition is to raise awareness amongst early-career researchers of the importance of engaging with the public and to promote communication activities. Numerous former winners have gone on to establish themselves in the field of science communication in the long term, have received follow-up funding and are recognised both nationally and internationally.