APEC Project Conclusion

Bridging the Relevancy Gap

The Final Update (November 2007)

The APEC Science Centre Impact Project is drawing to a close after three years of activity.

In the Beginning

In September 2004 the APEC Industrial Science and Technology Working Group (ISTWG) formally approved the proposed three year Science Centre Impact Study. Representatives from 16 of the 21 APEC economies gathered in Hong Kong in December 2004 to determine the scope and directions of the project, and a plan for research into the impacts and contributions of science centres to their communities was developed.

This project was established to

1. strengthen the linkages and the sharing of data and best practice approaches among science centres and museums in the APEC region and
2. assist science centres and museums to articulate, to governments and stakeholders, their particular contributions to community and economy interests.

Project Achievements

There have been valuable collaborations formed with, and between, networks and projects that have contributed to the field, including the Economic Impact Study undertaken by the former Project Officer Ilze Groves. The monthly newsletters sent to over 600 people around the world and the website have provided a valuable resource, communicating information about impact research in the sector.

The project has enjoyed a high profile at the ASPAC conferences held in 2004, in 2006 and in 2007. At the ASPAC Conference held at Miraikan in Japan, a half-day program on 22 June 2007 addressed the theme “Science centres and museums: relevancy for existing and new audiences”. The plenary speakers were:

• Prof Sue Stocklmayer, Director, ANU National Centre for Public Awareness of Science, Australia Engaging with Audiences (pdf, 3.8 MB)
• Dr Aphiya Hathayatham, Director, Information Technology Museum, Thailand Impact and Relevancy (pdf, 5.5MB);
• Dr Fiona Cameron, University of Western Sydney, Australia Hot Topics and Relevancy (pdf, 100 kB).

Over 100 delegates from 15 countries participated in this program.

Following the plenary panel session, delegates met in discussion groups to share ideas on how their centres and museums are developing/re-thinking their exhibitions and programs to maintain relevancy for existing audiences and to attract new audiences. Some common themes considered by the groups were:

1. community involvement
2. challenges of attracting different audiences, particularly 18 - 35 year olds
3. attracting new audiences via non-science topics
4. needs for evaluation, appropriate programming, and relevancy for audiences

Relevance, in particular, was a central topic considered by all groups. How do we define relevance? How does our definition compare to that of our audiences? In trying to be relevant to different audiences, one size does not fit all. Relevance, like impact, is abstract therefore considered difficult to measure.

• Group 1 report (pdf, 32 kB)
• Group 2 report (pdf, 24 kB)
• Group 3 report (pdf, 32 kB)

An ongoing resource

The project website will remain online as a resource, and relevant articles or activities will be added from time to time, such as these:

Talking Science - the newest science communication web site for the UK. Aimed at an international audience of anyone involved in science communication, this site provides more information about the science communication scene in the UK, including professional development activities. An interactive forum will be added soon. http://www.britishcouncil.org/talkingscience

Talk About Audiences - an audience research blog. Reach Advisors is a marketing strategy and research firm based in New York working with museums and science centres. Their blog contains excerpts from some of their research reports including a family visitation survey and audience diversity. http://reachadvisors.typepad.com

What next?

The project may be finished, but the need to continue collecting, collating and sharing data is greater than ever before. With the ongoing challenge of positioning science centres and museums as places of relevance for their communities, the Science Centre Impact Project has provided a useful stimulus. If you start up a project to contribute to areas of focus for this project, please let us know!

Finally, thank you...

This project has involved the support of many people. Thank you to the project’s co-sponsor economies: Australia; Canada; Chinese Taipei; Hong Kong, China; Indonesia; Korea and Thailand. Thank you to ISTWG members and officers for their support. Thank you to Korea for their contribution to the funding of the project. Thank you to Questacon, Australia’s National Science and Technology Centre, for its facilitation of the project from inception to conclusion.

Thank you to the ASPAC, ASTC and RedPOP science centre networks and members of the International Steering Group who assisted in the establishment and directions of the project.

Thank you to the Questacon officers who have provided the in-depth operational support for this project: Ms Ilze Groves, Project Officer (2004-2006); Ms Merryn McKinnon, Project Officer (2006-2007); and Mr Geoff Crane, Webmaster (2004-2007) who established and maintained the project website.

And finally, thank you for your support and contributions as subscribers to this email newsletter. We hope that you continue to find the website a useful resource, and we wish you well in your endeavours to contribute to the important work of science centre impact research in the future.

Brenton Honeyman
Project Leader (2004-2007)