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Open Calls

RIF Opens 2026–2027 Researchers In Schools Call For STEAM Visits Across Cyprus

by News Editor

Overview

The Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF) has opened a call for expressions of interest for researchers who wish to participate in the “Researchers in Schools” programme for the 2026–2027 school year. The programme invites researchers to take part in visits to schools in Primary Education, Secondary Education, and Secondary Technical and Vocational Education and Training across Cyprus.

First launched during the 2022–2023 school year, the programme aims to increase direct contact and interaction between students, teachers and researchers from different research fields in Cyprus. Its wider goal is to strengthen students’ interest in science, research and innovation, while also showing the relevance of research to everyday life and future career choices.

Programme Objectives

Through school visits, researchers will be invited to present their work to students in an engaging way. RIF encourages the use of creative and interactive presentation methods where possible, as well as equipment or tools that can be transported to schools for demonstration purposes.

For the 2026–2027 initiative, it will also be possible to arrange school visits to research organisations, giving students direct exposure to research environments.

Themes

Presentations should be linked to the STEAM educational approach, covering Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics.

Visit Schedule

Visits by researchers to schools, and/or visits by schools to research organisations, will be organised around international days connected to the STEAM fields.

The planned visit periods are:

  • Science: 9–13 November 2026, linked to World Science Day on 10 November 2026
  • Engineering: 1–5 March 2027, linked to World Engineering Day on 4 March 2027
  • Mathematics: 15–19 March 2027, linked to World Mathematics Day on 14 March 2027
  • Arts: 12–16 April 2027, linked to World Art Day on 15 April 2027
  • Technology: 17–21 May 2027, linked to World Technology Day on 17 May 2027

Who Can Participate

The call is addressed to researchers interested in visiting schools and presenting their work to students as part of the programme. Participating schools may come from almost all districts of Cyprus, including semi-mountainous, mountainous and remote areas.

After the expression-of-interest stage, RIF will contact researchers to inform them about schools that have expressed interest in hosting researcher visits or organising visits to research organisations. Specific arrangements for each researcher will be made three to four weeks before the relevant visit period.

RIF will select the school based on the researcher’s preferences and availability, as well as the priority order of schools’ expressions of interest. If an issue arises, an alternative arrangement may be made in consultation with the responsible RIF officer.

Support

RIF may, upon request, cover part of researchers’ expenses for travel and the transport of relevant equipment to schools.

How To Apply

Researchers who wish to participate must declare their availability through the online form by 30 September 2026.

About The Programme

The “Researchers in Schools” programme is implemented as part of the European project “CELEBRATE 2.0 – TWO DECADES OF STEAM-POWERED INSPIRATION”, funded by the European Commission under the EU Horizon Europe research and innovation programme for 2021–2027.

NASA Space Apps Challenge 2026 To Take Place In Nicosia And Limassol On 14–15 November

by News Editor

Overview

The NASA Space Apps Challenge 2026 will take place on 14–15 November, with local events in Nicosia and Limassol giving participants in Cyprus the opportunity to join the international hackathon.

Held under the theme “The Next Frontier,” the two-day event invites participants to develop solutions to challenges involving Earth and space science, using publicly available data from NASA and its international space agency partners.

The global competition brings together students, engineers, scientists, developers, designers, entrepreneurs, and other enthusiasts to work in teams, exchange ideas, and develop projects addressing scientific and technological challenges.

Participation is free, and previous experience in programming or space science is not required.

What To Expect

The NASA Space Apps Challenge is an international hackathon in which teams work on challenges developed by NASA experts.

Participants use open scientific data to develop applications, data visualisations, games, prototypes and other creative solutions.

The challenges cover a range of subjects related to Earth and space science, including space exploration, astrophysics, agriculture, software development and storytelling.

Participants can bring together skills from different disciplines, including artificial intelligence, data analysis, engineering, science, design and communication.

Teams can include up to six participants, who select a challenge according to their interests and expertise.

Completed projects must be submitted through the official NASA Space Apps platform. Submissions are evaluated through a local judging process, with selected eligible projects nominated for consideration in the global judging stage.

Two Local Events In Cyprus

The 2026 competition includes local events in both Limassol and Nicosia, allowing participants to take part in the same global hackathon from either city.

Limassol

The Limassol edition is scheduled for 14–15 November 2026.

Further information and local registration are available through the NASA Space Apps Challenge Limassol page.

Nicosia

Participants should consult the NASA Space Apps Challenge Nicosia page for venue information, local arrangements and registration.

Both events form part of the same international NASA Space Apps Challenge.

Who Can Participate

The hackathon welcomes people of all ages, experience levels and professional backgrounds.

Participants do not need to be programmers or scientists. The competition encourages collaboration among people with interests and skills in technology, engineering, entrepreneurship, design, communication, science, and other fields.

Individuals can register and form or join a team, while existing groups can participate together.

Participants under the age of 18 must be registered by a parent or legal guardian and accompanied by a parent or legal guardian throughout the event, in accordance with NASA’s participation rules.

How To Register

Registration for the NASA Space Apps Challenge 2026 is open through the official competition website.

Participants must create or access a NASA Space Apps account, register for the 2026 competition, and select their preferred local event in Nicosia or Limassol.

Team formation and project submissions are also managed through the platform.

Global registration remains open until the hackathon closes on 15 November 2026. Projects must be submitted by 23:59 local time on Sunday, 15 November, to be considered for judging.

Participation is free.

Full details, official challenges and registration instructions are available at spaceappschallenge.org/2026.

About The NASA Space Apps Challenge

The NASA Space Apps Challenge is an annual international hackathon bringing together participants from different disciplines to develop solutions using NASA’s open data and information from its space agency partners.

Held annually since 2012, the competition encourages collaboration, problem-solving, and public engagement with science and technology.

According to NASA, the 2025 edition attracted more than 114,000 registered participants across 551 local events worldwide.

The 2026 edition involves 17 international space agency partners, including the European Space Agency.

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