From 6-10 July 2020, we are organizing a summer school for researchers who want to learn about communicating science to diverse audiences. This summer school is funded as part of the "startimpuls" of the NWA (National Research Agenda).

The Biomedical Sciences Communication specialisation focuses on the interaction between science and society and concerns science communication in a broad sense. You combine your research training with different aspects of science communication. The entire programme is taught in English.

We study and teach science communication. Our research program is aimed at improving science communication with as central themes ‘Authenticity in informal learning’ and ‘Bridging the gap between experts and the general public’.

OSCL is a learning community where Leiden University employees and students learn and talk about open science practices. Example events are Open Science cafés, workshops, and walk-in-hours. Open science is an umbrella term for an approach to science that aims to make scientific research accessible,…

Anyone who creates a page for a magazine, a PowerPoint presentation, a brochure, a poster or dreams up an idea for an infographic is faced with important questions:

To strenghten ties with the public, press, other academics and wider society, LION employs an outreach officer.

The research group Science Communication and Society has been physically within the Institute of Biology (IBL) since 2012 and will become a formal part of the institute in 2018. The mission of this group is understanding how science communication works to improve the interaction between science and…

Join the OSCL community to share your experience and learn more from others at Leiden University

How can we bridge the gap between experts and the general public?

What is the culture of public engagement at research institutes (RIs) in the Netherlands and how does this compare to other countries?

The master’s specialisation Life Science and Science Communication and Society at Leiden University bridges the gap between experts and the public by combining high quality research in biology with extensive training in science communication.

The master’s specialisation Physics and Science Communication and Society at Leiden University bridges the gap between experts and the public by combining high quality research in biology with extensive training in science communication.

The master’s specialisation Computer Science and Science Communication and Society at Leiden University bridges the gap between experts and the public by combining high quality research in computer science with extensive training in science communication.

The master’s specialisation Mathematics and Science Communication and Society at Leiden University bridges the gap between experts and the public by combining high quality research in mathematics with extensive training in science communication.

The master’s specialisation Chemistry and Science Communication and Society at Leiden University bridges the gap between experts and the public by combining high quality research in chemistry with extensive training in science communication.

The master’s specialisation Biology and Science Communication and Society at Leiden University bridges the gap between experts and the public by combining high quality research in biology with extensive training in science communication.

The master’s specialisation Astronomy and Science Communication and Society at Leiden University bridges the gap between experts and the public by combining high quality research in biology with extensive training in science communication.

How can species literacy in the Netherlands be explained and improved?

Promotores: Prof.dr. G. Miley & Prof.dr. J.M. van den Broek

The master’s specialisation Bio-Pharmaceutical Sciences and Science Communication & Society at Leiden University is a two-year programme which combines research training in chemistry with one in techniques of communication.

Dr Ionica Smeets, one of the well-known ‘Maths girls’, has been appointed part-time Professor of Science Communication at Leiden University with effect from 1 July. Over the coming five years she will carry out research on science communication, how the subject is taught and how to raise students’ enthusiasm…

How can citizen science be used to communicate and provide data for social network analysis?

From bedtime stories about mathematics to podcasts about microplastics and games on weeds: master students from the Science Communication & Society track presented the real-life products they developed during their final presentations on 20 December. Many of the products are already implemented by c…

Which young researchers were best at explaining their research to a general audience? Twelve researchers battled it out at the FameLab heat on 7 March. The two winners go through to the national final.

Biologists Michelle Spierings and Ryan Bogaars are 2 of the 4 winners of the Leiden heat for the international FameLab competition in talking science during a public presentation.

In FameLab contestants explain their research to the public in a three-minute presentation – without using PowerPoint or other presentation tools. The Leiden heats of this international communications competition will be held on 7 March. Anyone is welcome to come and watch!

Children are often able to decide for themselves whether they want to take part in medical research. In order to be able to make an informed decision, they need clear information. PhD candidate Ronella Grootens set a good example and created a cartoon story. PhD defence 6 December.

Children find that both dinosaur fossils and replicas belong in a museum, but they appreciate the real objects more. This is shown by research from Leiden University and Naturalis Biodiversity Center. 'Children look beyond superficial looks and attach great value to less obvious characteristics, such…

PhD candidates in medicine, Wouter Jan Geelhoed and Nan van Geloven, are the winners of the Leiden preliminary round of FameLab. They are through to the final on 22 April.

Inaugural Lecture

Are you a frontrunner at your faculty when it comes to Open Science, or do you want to be? Do you like organising workshops?

Although both government and the public would like scientists to share their work with the widest possible audience, this does not always seem an easy route for scientists.

Four Master's students Science Communication & Society made two podcasts on the theme Plastic for the end project of their study programme. With the podcasts, they helped the Institute of Biology Leiden (IBL) to draw attention to plastic pollution. And that was harder than it seemed. 'Be sure to test…

After four years of hard work, the time has finally come: your thesis is finished. But who of your family and friends will ever read it? Biologist Lizah van der Aart decided to make a magazine for layman. 'It was precisely the explanation of the difficult, fundamental parts that gave me good tools for…

The first location of the Open Science Centre network was opened on 7 July in Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo, Portugal. A Portuguese Minister and a State Secretary inaugurated the Plataforma de Ciência Aberta, which is a collaboration between Leiden University and the municipality of Figueira de Castelo…