SIHTASUTUS TEADUSKESKUS AHHAA

Their core work

Science Centre AHHAA is Estonia's leading interactive science centre and foundation, based in Tartu, dedicated to public engagement with science and technology. They organize European Researchers' Night events across Estonia, run exhibitions and science communication programmes, and serve as a national hub connecting citizens with research. Beyond their visitor-facing work, they contribute to EU-wide initiatives on responsible research and innovation (RRI), gender in STEM, food system engagement, and citizen participation in science policy — acting as the bridge between complex research and public understanding.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their early H2020 period (2014–2018), AHHAA focused on broad science awareness — organising Researchers' Nights, contributing to marine literacy (SeaChange), and supporting gender balance in STEM (Hypatia). From 2017 onward, their work shifted toward more structured engagement frameworks: responsible research and innovation (RRI), key enabling technologies engagement (SocKETs), food system policy dialogue (FIT4FOOD2030), and open schooling models (SALL). The evolution shows a move from event-based outreach toward systematic, policy-relevant public engagement methodologies.

AHHAA is moving from one-off science events toward structured public engagement in policy-relevant domains like food systems and key enabling technologies — making them increasingly relevant for projects requiring genuine citizen participation components.

How they like to work

AHHAA operates primarily as a third-party contributor (6 of 11 projects), brought in by larger consortia for their public engagement expertise, while coordinating only their national Researchers' Night events. With 114 unique partners across 34 countries, they are embedded in a wide European network but not a dominant consortium leader. This pattern suggests they are a trusted specialist that consortia recruit when they need credible, experienced public engagement delivery — reliable, low-risk, and well-connected.

AHHAA has worked with 114 distinct partners across 34 countries, giving them one of the broadest engagement networks among Estonian research organisations. Their connections span science centres, universities, and civil society organisations across virtually all EU member states.

What sets them apart

AHHAA is Estonia's primary science centre and one of the few organisations in the Baltic region with deep, repeated experience in EU-funded public engagement and RRI activities. Unlike universities or research institutes that add dissemination as an afterthought, public engagement IS their core business — they bring dedicated infrastructure, methodology, and audiences. For any consortium needing genuine citizen engagement (not just a checkbox), AHHAA offers a proven track record with a Baltic/Nordic reach that many Western European science centres cannot provide.

Highlights from their portfolio

• MARINA
  Largest single grant (EUR 155,625) as a full participant, building a pan-European knowledge sharing platform for responsible research communities — their most substantive research role.
• ERNEst21
  Third consecutive Researchers' Night coordination in Estonia (EUR 86,375), demonstrating sustained national leadership and trust from the European Commission.
• SocKETs
  Represents their evolution into engagement with key enabling technologies and industrial innovation — connecting manufacturing/KET topics with public dialogue methods.