More than 5,000 people attended European Researchers’ Night 2026 in Nicosia last week, underscoring the growing public appetite for science, innovation and hands-on learning as Cyprus marked 20 years of the annual event, according to the Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF).
A Decade-Plus Platform For Public Engagement
Held at the Cyprus State Fair, the event also welcomed more than 2,000 school pupils through organised visits and dedicated activities, reinforcing its role as one of the country’s most visible platforms for connecting researchers with the wider public.
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This year’s edition, themed “CELEBRATE 2.0 – Two Decades of STEAM-Powered Inspiration,” brought together researchers, academics, scientists, companies and organisations from across Cyprus’ research and innovation ecosystem.
More Than 75 Exhibits And 80 Interactive Experiences
Visitors explored more than 75 exhibition stands and took part in over 80 interactive activities, including experiments, workshops, simulations, games, quizzes and live demonstrations.
RIF said the programme placed particular emphasis on the STEAM model, which integrates science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics. The aim, it said, was to show how cross-disciplinary thinking can help address practical and societal challenges.
Students Bring Science Communication To The Fore
The event also featured the Science Unfold 2026 student science communication competition, held under the theme “STEAMing Through Time! How research and innovation changed our world.”
Students presented inventions and applications that have shaped everyday life, with a focus on explaining their significance in a clear, engaging, and accessible way. In doing so, the competition highlighted an increasingly important skill in research ecosystems: the ability to translate complex ideas for non-specialist audiences.
Two Decades Of Growth In Cyprus
A special anniversary stand traced the development of European Researchers’ Night in Cyprus since 2006, while a commemorative video highlighted key moments from the event’s two-decade history on the island.
“Science does not concern scientists alone. It concerns society as a whole,” RIF said, adding that the event was designed to underscore the importance of curiosity, creativity, collaboration and the role of younger generations in shaping the future of research.
Linking Research And Society
The programme concluded with a networking reception, bringing members of the public together with researchers and representatives of the innovation community.
European Researchers’ Night is held simultaneously in hundreds of cities across Europe as an initiative of the European Commission, to bring research closer to citizens and demonstrate its relevance in everyday life.
The Cyprus edition was held under the auspices of the President of the Republic. Its 2026 activities were organised through the CELEBRATE 2.0 – Two Decades of STEAM-Powered Inspiration project, funded by the European Commission under the Horizon Europe 2021–2027 research and innovation programme.
