Excellent research requires creativity, a willingness to take risks and commitment. The fear of making mistakes not only hinders scientists in their personal development, but also harms research as a whole. Sabine Bergner and Johanna Stadlbauer give doctoral researchers and postdocs the opportunity to talk openly about hurdles and failures in a safe environment. "We want to celebrate mistakes so that we can learn from them more easily," says Stadlbauer. "At the Fiasco Fest, researchers who are at the beginning of their scientific careers talk about highlights and failures and analyse together what they have experienced as fiascos and why," explains the Head of the Postdoc Office at the University of Graz. Together, they then explore what resources they have used so far to overcome inevitable setbacks and are given even more tools for personal development.
The concept met with such great interest in the European University Alliance Arqus that it is now also to be implemented at Maynooth University (Ireland), the University of Padua (Italy), the University of Wroclaw (Poland) and the Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (France). In order to lead the "Fiasco Fest" at their institution, colleagues from these universities will receive appropriate training in a train-the-trainer workshop. The "Pedagogy Playbook", a handbook with information on the content and objectives of the "Fiasco Fest", provides additional support for preparation and implementation. The project is being funded by the Arqus European University Alliance Innovation Fund with 10,000 euros.
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