Mind the Gap: Bridging Science, Policy and Publics

Zagreb Science Communication Forum 2025 · 4 Dec 2025 · Augusta Cesarca 4-6, Zagreb

From lab results to policy impact without losing the plot.

What is ZSCF?

From bench to understanding to action

In a world where policy decisions are increasingly driven by public perception, how science is communicated can be as important as what the science says. The Zagreb Science Communication Forum is part newsroom, part policy and communications lab, and part good-practice showcase.

Designed and hosted by the Ruđer Bošković Institute with the European Commission Representation in Croatia, it makes the case for curiosity-driven research in FP10. It explores the need to equip scientists with the skills to communicate science effectively to both policymakers and the public.

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Who should attend?

Turning research into public value takes more than great papers. It takes the right messages, skills, and allies.

While applied science tends to grab the spotlight, it’s basic, curiosity-led research that often underpins the transformative breakthroughs we later celebrate. Yet defending its value, especially to policymakers and the public, requires more than good data. It takes smart storytelling, cross-sector coalitions, and a deep understanding of what makes narratives resonate in Brussels, in media, and in society.

If you’re a researcher, science communicator, policymaker, or institutional leader who believes the future of science depends not just on breakthroughs but on how we talk about them Zagreb Science Communication Forum is the place to be.

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Connect · Learn · Explore

Connect

Make the most useful room in Zagreb.

Meet ERC/MSCA voices, institute leaders, EU programme reps and science journalists, including speakers from EU-LIFE, EUROfusion and Croatia’s EC Representation in an intimate, purposeful setting that makes collaboration easy.

Learn

Get practical, not performative.

A keynote by Marcin Mońko (Head of Media & Content, ERCEA) frames basic research as Europe’s innovation engine, followed by sessions on why curiosity-driven research powers competitiveness, and how to communicate it clearly before FP10.

Explore

See what works, and why.

A showcase of proven formats with concrete takeaways: Science is Wonderful! Researchers’ Night, IRB’s Pattern & ReSkills, and City of Science 2026. Learn the mechanics (audiences, budgets, partners, evaluation), common pitfalls, and templates you can adapt for your institute, project, or lab.

Agenda Highlights

From a keynote by the European Research Council’s Head of Media to sessions on the future of basic research in FP10, participants will hear directly from representatives of EU-LIFE, EUROfusion, and MSCA.

The programme also features concrete examples of effective outreach, such as Science is Wonderful!, Researchers’ Night, and the City of Science 2026 project, offering practical inspiration for those working at the intersection of research and communication.

Throughout the day, scientists, communicators, and policymakers will examine how public narratives are built, and how research can speak more clearly and convincingly to the world beyond academia.

Check the Full Agenda →