European Researchers' Night 2026
S.P.A.C.E. Youth Photovoice Challenge
A scientific and creative exploration of new worlds
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Ready to go on a mission to space?
School classes and teams of youth (10-14 y.o.) are invited to join the S.P.A.C.E. Photovoice Challenge, part of the European Researchers’ Night “S.P.A.C.E.” 2026 at USTP - University of Applied Sciences St. Pölten. The participating youth explore their world through photography, reflection and storytelling, using a scientific methodology. Pre-assembled teaching materials for easy integration into school lessons are available. Participation in the challenge is suitable e.g. for English, German or Natural Sciences teaching.
Participation is also possible for non-school youth organisations. School permission for participation in the poster session at USTP on 25 September 2026 at 12:00 (CET) is required.
S.P.A.C.E. Youth Photovoice Challenge: Key facts
Pupils aged 10–14 (Grades 5–8) from schools or youth organisations in teams of 3–6 persons
2–5 lessons/hours + participation in the European Researchers' Night at USTP on 25 September 2026 (more information below)
Poster with 4 photos + short texts
German or English
Pre-assembled teacher‘s materials available
Tickets to the Ars Electronica Festival and a workshop offered by ESERO, the European Space Education Resource Office, await the winning teams!
🚀 About the competition
Mission briefing for participants
You are a researcher in a mission to space. You arrive in a place where everything is quiet. Have you heard that there are no noises in Space? No music, no birds... There is no culture yet, no houses, no streets, and no rules. It is empty. It is simply space, open and still. You are on your way to a new planet to start anew. After some time, you look back.:
Far away, you can see a small blue planet. It is floating in a vast dark space, held together by gravity. From this distance, you cannot see borders or conflicts. You do not notice the differences that usually feel important. You only see one planet. This may change how you think.
Now ask yourself these questions:
What would you take with you to the new planet? What will you miss the most from earth?
To answer these questions, you will take 4 photos. Each of the pictures should represent one of these areas:
What is something important in your daily life that you would take with you and how is it connected to your body, feelings, or needs (like air, water, rest, or health)?
Or, if you cannot bring it along, what would you dearly miss in your personal life?
What do people, animals, or nature share on Earth and why is it important for keeping life possible (for example air, water, food, or ecosystems)? It could also be something that is essential for human society to work.
What makes Earth special (unique) when you look at it from far away and what could happen if this balance (like oxygen, climate, or nature) is disturbed?
Make a picture of something that cannot be taken along and would be forever lost together with earth.
If you could take one idea or invention into space to protect Earth, what would it be and how would it help our planet?
Or, which creative ideas would you have for your new planet?
Important Dates
🖊️ Registration Deadline
1 July 2026*
Limited slots available! Register via the form on the bottom of this page.
📅 Submission Deadline
18 September 2026**
Submit your poster by e-mail to researchersnight@ustp.at either as an image (if you created it by hand) or as a PDF file. If you create it by hand, please also bring it with you to the European Researchers' Night at USTP.
🏆 Poster Presentation & Award Ceremony
25 September 2026 (10:00-13:00 CET) at USTP
The grand final of the competition:
The European Researchers' Night at USTP
On 25 September 2026, USTP - University of Applied Sciences St. Pölten is proudly hosting the European Researchers' Night themed "S.P.A.C.E.".
The European Researchers' Night is an annual public event held across EU Member States and associated countries. Co-funded by the European Commission's Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA), it transforms universities, research institutes, and museums into interactive spaces designed to bring science closer to society. In 2026, St. Pölten will be the only location hosting a European Researchers' Night event in Austria!
Participating teams will be able to show their submissions to the event's audience, and the winning team will be announced in a special award ceremony!
Programme for all participating teams
10:00 - 11:30 | S.P.A.C.E. Science Explorers Activity for participating teams (optional)
11:30 - 12:00 | Poster Session Set-Up
12:00 - 13:00 | Presentation of posters, selection of winners
13:00-13:30 | Award Ceremony
How to participate
The competition is open to schools from Austria as well as non-school youth organisations (School permission for participation in the poster session at USTP 25.9. 12pm required.). Students must be between 10-14 years of age or in grades 5-8 to participate. The participating teams must submit their challenge contribution in English or German (English preferred).
In order to participate in the Photovoice challenge, please follow these steps:
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Find more information in our competition guidelines and in our collection of helpful resources to get started with your entry to the event.
Ready to submit your final posters?
Send them to us via e-mail until 18 September 2026.
Rewards & prizes
You will present your poster as part of the European Researchers’ Night S.P.A.C.E. on 25 September 2026 at the USTP in St. Pölten. An expert jury will evaluate all posters. The best-rated teams have the chance to win a variety of cool rewards!
All participants receive:
certificates of participation
Optional coaching (online session or at USTP) from experts for their poster presentation
All participating teams are invited to:
Join the SPACE Science Explorers Activity at USTP University of Applied Sciences St. Pölten.
This creative format allows you to explore and get to know the USTP campus in a novel way.
(25 September 2026 –10.00-11:30)
All participating groups are presenting their poster:
at USTP (25 September 2026 – 11:30: setup, 12.00-13.00 presentations)
The winning teams will be selected through an experty jury voting. There will be 3 winning teams.
Prizes include:
Special Awards for students and Official Ceremony on the day of the event (25th of September at 13.00)
ESERO (European Space Education Resource Office, ESA Austria) activities & gifts
Ars Electronica Tickets
Awards and Recognition (eg. Media + Press Release) for Schools
Why Participate?
Ready‑to‑use classroom activity (2-5 lessions, depending on whether photo collection and/or poster preparation are covered in the lessons or given as homework)
Participate as part of English, Science, Arts, Digital Education lessions - or any other subject)
No special materials required
Students present in a real public event on 25.9. at the European Researchers’ Night in St. Pölten
Students get to try out scientific approaches
Participation in a European project
Attractive prizes
Registration
Register here for participating in the S.P.A.C.E. Youth Photovoice Challenge. You are already registered and would like to submit your finished posters? Please send them to researchersnight@ustp.at via e-mail.
FAQ
The competition is open to pupils 10-14 years old ("5.-8. Schulstufe"). Students work in teams of 3-6 pupils.
The activity is designed to be completed within 2-5 lessons, with minimal preparation.
Yes, you can choose between German or English for your submission as well as your presentation (English presentation preferred).
An expert scientific jury will judge the team submissions based on quality of answers, creativity and impact.
Yes. Students are encouraged to give their new planet a creative name
Each team produces one final poster in A1 format (portrait), combining four photographs with their descriptions (max 150 words), into a coherent visual layout. In addition to the photographs, drawings, or collages are also encouraged, but AI‑generated images are not allowed. All content must respect data protection regulations. The four images must represent the four SPACES (Personal, Common, Outer, and Creative), and together they should form a connected story supported by short written reflections (max 150 words) for each image.
The Photovoice method, developed by Wang & Burris (1990s), is a way for people to identify and document good practices and challenges that they meet in their daily life within their region by means of photography. It is a means to communicate about personal and community concerns, exposing social problems and igniting bottom-up social change. Needs and good practices gathered by the Photovoice are a starting point for further discussion and developments.
When you have registered for the competition and have been selected to participate, you will receive more information regarding these possibilities by email.
You will be informed latest one week after signing up, if your class or youth group has been selected to participate.
You will get this information at the very latest at 2.7., i.e. certainly before the end of this school year.
No. AI-generated images are not allowed. Real photos should be submitted.
For any questions, please contact us at researchersnight@ustp.at.
WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE School competition?
Write us an e-mail!
Eva Nikolopoulou, MSc.
Dr. Angelika Czedik-Eysenberg
S.P.A.C.E. is supported by the European Researchers’ Night, funded by the European Union under the Marie Skłodowska‑Curie Actions of Horizon Europe.
Partners include Ars Electronica, Johannes Kepler University Linz (Zirkus des Wissens), ESERO Austria (European Space Agency). The project connects to 18+ European cities across 12+ countries, giving schools international visibility.
