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| British Science Week | |
|---|---|
| Name | British Science Week |
| Genre | Science festival |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| First | 1994 |
| Organiser | British Science Association |
British Science Week is an annual ten-day celebration of science, technology, engineering and mathematics held across the United Kingdom. It brings together schools, universities, museums, charities and industry to deliver public events, classroom activities and media content. The week aims to increase public engagement with science through hands-on sessions, talks and community projects featuring prominent institutions and figures.
British Science Week is coordinated by the British Science Association and connects a network of partners including the Wellcome Trust, Royal Society, Royal Institution, Institute of Physics, Royal Society of Chemistry, EngineeringUK, STEM Learning, National Physical Laboratory, Natural Environment Research Council, Medical Research Council, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, Arts Council England, Science Museum Group, Natural History Museum, Institute of Cancer Research, European Space Agency (UK), UK Research and Innovation, Cancer Research UK, Royal Horticultural Society, Historic England, Nesta, The Alan Turing Institute, Francis Crick Institute, Imperial College London, University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, King's College London, University College London, University of Manchester, University of Edinburgh, University of Glasgow, University of Bristol, University of Birmingham, University of Leeds, University of Nottingham, University of Sheffield, Queen Mary University of London, University of Southampton, University of York, University of Liverpool, University of Warwick, London School of Economics, City, University of London, University of St Andrews, University of Exeter, University of Durham, University of Leicester, University of Aberdeen, University of Bath, University of Sussex, Cardiff University, Queen's University Belfast, University of Ulster, Plymouth University, Keele University, University of Hull, Newcastle University, Royal College of Surgeons, Royal College of Physicians, Met Office, British Geological Survey, Environment Agency, Marine Biological Association, Zoological Society of London, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, National Oceanography Centre, National Centre for Atmospheric Science, Diamond Light Source, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Ofcom, BBC Science Unit, Channel 4, The Guardian, The Times, New Scientist, Nature (journal), Science (journal), Lancet (journal), Physical Review Letters.
The initiative traces roots to earlier public engagement programmes and festivals such as events driven by the Royal Institution and national campaigns associated with the Festival of Britain and the European Science Open Forum. Over time it incorporated partnerships with bodies like the Wellcome Trust, British Medical Association, Royal Society of Biology, Royal Anthropological Institute, Institute of Physics Education Group, Society of Biology, Biochemical Society, CERN, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Max Planck Society, CNRS, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, National Institutes of Health, Smithsonian Institution, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, L'Institut Pasteur and others that influenced its growth. Key milestones included expanded school resources, nationwide activity packs, and themed years that echoed campaigns by UNESCO, European Commission, Council of Europe and national science weeks modelled after National Science Week (Australia) and European Researchers' Night.
Administration sits with the British Science Association which manages partnerships, strategy and communications. Funding streams combine grants and sponsorship from charities and agencies including the Wellcome Trust, UK Research and Innovation, Arts Council England, Nesta, Royal Society, Royal Academy of Engineering, corporate sponsors from firms such as BP (energy company), Rolls-Royce Holdings, GlaxoSmithKline, AstraZeneca, Unilever, BT Group, Siemens, Microsoft, Google LLC, Amazon (company), National Grid plc, EDF Energy, Shell plc, BAE Systems, Airbus, Jaguar Land Rover, Lloyds Banking Group, Barclays, HSBC, KPMG, PwC, and public bodies including the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Department for Education, Department of Health and Social Care and devolved administrations such as the Scottish Government, Welsh Government, Northern Ireland Executive. Delivery relies on regional partners including local authorities, trusts and museums named above.
Core offerings include downloadable classroom packs, teacher CPD sessions run with STEM Learning and workshops led by researchers from institutions such as Imperial College London, University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, The Alan Turing Institute and Francis Crick Institute. Public events feature talks, panel discussions and exhibitions hosted by venues including the Science Museum, Natural History Museum, Royal Institution, W5 (Belfast), Eureka! (museum), Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum, Discovery Museum (Newcastle), Centre for Life, Newcastle upon Tyne, Glasgow Science Centre, Techniquest, At-Bristol (We The Curious), National Museum Cardiff, Ulster Museum, Pitt Rivers Museum, Royal Observatory Greenwich, Jodrell Bank Observatory, Stratford-upon-Avon Butterfly Farm, National Railway Museum, Eden Project, Bristol Zoological Society, Sudeley Castle and field activities with organisations such as the Marine Biological Association and British Trust for Ornithology.
Themed years have focused on topics aligned with partners: health and medicine with NHS England and NHS Scotland, climate and environment with the Met Office and Environment Agency, space with European Space Agency and UK Space Agency, computing with BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, and engineering with the Royal Academy of Engineering and Institution of Engineering and Technology.
Participation spans schools, universities, museums, charities and industry. Schools receive resources tailored by Key Stage in partnership with bodies such as Ofsted benchmarks and curriculum influence from Department for Education advisers. Outreach projects have linked researchers from Medical Research Council units, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council centres, Natural Environment Research Council facilities and community groups backed by organisations like Big Lottery Fund and Arts Council England. Volunteer engagement includes STEM Ambassadors coordinated by STEM Learning and alumni networks from universities named above. Media outreach has involved collaborations with BBC Science Unit, Channel 4, New Scientist, Nature (journal), Science (journal), The Guardian and science communicators affiliated with institutions such as the Royal Institution and Wellcome Collection.
Evaluation combines quantitative participation metrics supplied by school returns, venue attendance figures from institutions like the Science Museum Group and surveys conducted with partners including Nesta and UK Research and Innovation. Independent studies referencing impact have been undertaken by think tanks and research centres such as RAND Corporation, Institute for Fiscal Studies, Nesta and university departments at University College London, King's College London and University of Manchester. Reported outcomes include increased STEM engagement among pupils, strengthened researcher public engagement practice through professional development run with STEM Learning and enhanced institutional outreach capacity across museums and universities listed above.
Critiques have centred on sponsorship and conflicts of interest where corporate partners such as BP (energy company), Shell plc, GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca prompted debate similar to controversies seen in disputes over funding at the Science Museum and the Royal Institution. Academics and campaign groups including figures associated with Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth have raised concerns about industry influence on content. Questions have also been posed about equitable access in deprived areas, echoing broader critiques addressed by studies from Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Office for Students. Internal reviews and partner dialogues have been used to address transparency and governance issues in coordination with funders and stakeholders named above.