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Frequently Asked Questions | 2026 Exhibitors | WIDER FESTIVAL

 

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CONTENT

 

What is Southampton Science and Engineering Festival?

Southampton Science and Engineering Festival (SOTSEF) is the University of Southampton's annual award-winning interdisciplinary science and engineering festival that allows everyone to explore and discover what the world of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) has to offer. It is a 10-day programme of digital and in-person events taking place across the University and the City of Southampton.

The Festival is part of the UK Science Festival Network and currently runs every year in parallel with British Science Week, a 10-day programme of thousands of events running throughout the whole of the UK, with the aim of celebrating science, engineering, technology and maths. More information is available on the Public Engagement with Research unit (PERu) website.

In 2026, Southampton Science and Engineering Festival will run from Friday 6th to Sunday 15th March.

The festival concludes with the well renown, free family-friendly day named Science and Engineering Day. The day includes a large selection of interactive stands, workshops, talks, exhibitions, laboratory tours and live performances to explore the world of STEAM. Science and Engineering Day will take place on Saturday 14th March 2026 at Highfield Campus and Boldrewood innovation Campus. To find out more about the day, please see the dedicated FAQs document in the Exhibitors Area on the festival’s official website. 

 

Who can contribute to the festival?

Southampton Science and Engineering Festival (wider festival) is open to all members of the University of Southampton, including researchers, technicians, student societies and members of professional services. National and international collaborators of our researchers are also invited to submit content.

If the proposed content is relevant to the festival’s theme and values, we welcome local community groups (including CIC and VCSE), freelance public engagement professionals and artists, charities, cultural organisations and venues, and other higher education institutions to contribute to the richness and interdisciplinarity of Southampton Science and Engineering Festival!

We appreciate from experience that different disciplines and groups will have varied approaches to public engagement. Talk to us about how you could best adapt your subject to meet your and the festival’s audience needs. For more information about approaches to public engagement, browse the excellent National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement website.

 

What type of activity/event can I contribute with?

For the wider festival, we welcome interactive talks, workshops, debates, exhibitions, installations, shows and art performances.

Some creative and engaging suggestions include, e.g.:

  • a movie night followed by a lively Q&A with the audience,
  • an engaging quiz night with short presentations and Q&A,
  • an online interview with an international host followed by a Q&A,
  • an afternoon workshop with hands-on activities for children or young teenagers,
  • a ‘behind the scenes’ laboratory tour with presentations and networking,
  • the creation of a collaborative citizen science project with a local community group.

Some events might follow a well-known format, such as a wellbeing workshop, a school competition, or a research café.

The activity/event will need to be accessible to a wide range of audiences, including children and adults, with no expectation of previous knowledge or experience. Accessibility will need to be considered, from conceptual design to delivery, to allow participation by all, regardless of ability. Core values of the University of Southampton must be upheld including integrity, accessibility, inclusivity, and sustainability.

 

Who are the Southampton Science and Engineering Festival audiences?

There is no single audience for Southampton Science and Engineering Festival, and guests/visitors will differ depending on the nature/format of the activity/event. They can include students and staff at the University of Southampton, local residents, schools, colleges, professionals and community groups, and others from across the country and internationally.

Online: with our digital component of the festival since 2020, we engaged with hundreds of people across 5 continents. People were drawn to the online Festival mainly through social media, newsletters, word of mouth and by event searching on Eventbrite.

In-person: we welcome people of all ages and backgrounds. Visitors come mainly from Southampton and surrounding areas, but also from other regions in the Southeast and Southwest. Visitors often have a broad interest in STEM subjects.  

 

Is there an exhibitor mailing list I can join to receive exhibitor information straight to my inbox?

To be among the first to find out when the exhibitor's registration opens, sign up to the UoS Festival Exhibitors mailing list:

  • For external exhibitors, please click HERE,
  • For UoS students and members of staff, please click HERE.

 

How does the registration process work for the wider festival?

The call to contribute to Southampton Science and Engineering Festival will open on November 20th 2025. Announcements will be made on SUSSED, on UoS Engagement social media, on the Public Engagement Network MS Teams channel and through the UoS Festival Exhibitors newsletter.

The submission will be a 1-stage process, ID and password protected

Registration Guidelines: To find out what the registration process requires (inc. link, ID and password) and to prepare all required material in advance of your submission, you can access the registration guidelines. These will be available at the following after the call opens on the Registration page.  

After the submission: you will receive an automated confirmation email with a summary of your input. Check your spam folder or contact the UoS Festival team if the email does not come through.

What’s next: the UoS Festival team will review your entry after the deadline and approve your activity or in some cases request amendments, you will then receive an email with a customised link, password and ID for you to edit your entry.

  1.  

1. Where can I find the ID and password?

ID and password will be included in the registration guidelines that will be provided after the call opens on the Registration page.  

2. Can I save the deadline dates on my calendar?

All stage deadline dates are available to view and save to your calendar on the Festival Registration page. Just click on the calendar icon next to each date to download a calendar file. The file also includes a notification reminder and information to assist with exhibitor submissions.

3. What are some of the top tips when making a submission?

  • Activity Title: short and concise, 5-8 words max.
  • Activity Summary: short, snappy and exciting, 25 words max.
  • Activity Description: descriptive and inviting, 200 words max.
  • Activity Image: used as a thumbnail, must be SQUARE, size of 150 x 150 pixels, minimum resolution of 72 Dpi (dots per inch), and be a .png, .jpg or .gif filetype. For the image, please also note:  
    •  Avoid using any text, logo or data chart in the image – this will be not readable due to the image dimension and limit accessibility for users.
    • If you are the unique speaker for a talk or host of a show, please consider using a profile picture of you in action.
    • Make sure you have copyright permission – please use the Copyright disclaimer window to provide details.
    • Use a descriptive and inclusive Alt-text that conveys the meaning and content of the image – find out more HERE.
    • If you are struggling to find an image that suits your activity, the UoS Festival team will search one suitable for the programme.
    • Finally, please be aware that the image may be edited or replaced by the PERu team – we only do this, when necessary, to make sure the image well represent the content of your activity.

Activity title, description and summary are your first “point of contact” with visitors interested in taking part in your event at SOTSEF. When writing content for your activity description, please make sure to include:

  • Who you are (do not talk about you and your team as 'us' or use sentences such as 'join us') – there are different teams contributing to Southampton Arts and Humanities Festival and you must specify who you are; e.g. include the full name of your team and explain in which group/Department/School you work.
  • What are you going to do/present at the event – use action verbs that give the visitor an idea on what they will be involved with.
  • What attendees will learn or can expect from your activity (address the reader as 'you' and not as 'the audience' or 'visitors') – you want to talk to your audience directly, this is very different from grant writing or reporting, “talk to them”, start building a welcoming feeling around your activity.

Please also note:

  • Content must be suitable for a general audience - write the blurb with the final reader in mind, including whether the content is age appropriate.
  • Make your description clear, welcoming and inclusive, engaging and attractive as possible. Ask yourself:  
    • why would someone want to come to watch/take part in your activity?
    • why would someone care about the issue(s) you are talking about?
    • how can they relate to what you want to talk to them about? 
    • what can they learn/take away?  
  • If providing instructions, please use bullet points.
  • If you need to add additional websites and social media accounts to the one entry you have available in the dedicated windows in registration process, please add them at the end of the blurb as bullet points.
  • Avoid using AI to fully generate the content of your blurb – use creative and imagination.
  • Finally, please be aware that title, description and summary may be edited by the PERu team – we only do this, when necessary, to make sure content is clear, expectations are met, and the tone of voice is balanced and matching across the programme. 

4. I’m a retuning exhibitor; can I access information from my submission last year?

You should be able to access submitted data from past years (2022-25) entries by searching your inbox for your previous automated email communication.

You can also request a copy from us by emailing festival@soton.ac.uk, stating your activity name and stage you need access to.

5. When will I find out if my submission has been accepted?

The UoS Festival team will start reviewing all entries after the call closed. Due to the number of entries this might take up to 2 weeks.

PLEASE NOTE: a delay in accepting your submission does not mean that your activity has been rejected.

6. How can I make a change to my submission?

To make a change after your submission, please email the UoS Festival team at festival@soton.ac.uk as soon as possible so that we can do our best to accommodate your changes. The UoS Festival team may also contact you directly to request you make changes yourself.

 

Are there any themes for the 2026 edition?

The Festival will span STEM disciplines represented across the University of Southampton and will also include arts and humanities disciplines.

Interdisciplinary events or activities are always welcome, including collaborative projects with arts and humanities researchers, local artists, schools, cultural venues, and community groups.

The national British Science Week’s 2026 theme is 'Curiosity: what's your question?'.

 

What support is available to exhibitors?

The UoS Festival team can provide some support for your event, depending on the demand, resources, and timescale, as follows:

  • Educational resources (restricted to UoS users): a dedicated series of online resources, from handouts to recorded seminars and interactive resources, spanning from digital platform selection to event organisation and social media marketing are available on the Public Engagement with Research unit (PERu) SharePoint site, in the Enable | Training & Development section, including a guide on planning your public engagement and evaluation resources.
  • Training: the Public Engagement with Research unit (PERu) offer training sessions in the public and community engagement sector. To find out what trainings are available, please visit the PERu SharePoint site (Enable | Training & Development section) or take a look at our advertisements posted on the Public Engagement Network MS Teams channel (restricted to UoS users).
  • Drop-in sessions: we offer weekly 60-minute drop-in sessions on MS Teams, starting from Wednesday 14th January 2026, 13:00 – 14:00, for all UoS members to discuss their event/activity, without the need to book a 1-2-1 meeting. Links to the sessions will be available on the PERu SharePoint site in the ‘Upcoming Events’ section closer to the time. The sessions will also be advertised on the Public Engagement Network MS Teams channel (restricted to UoS users).
  • Consulting: depending on demand and capacity, we can provide 1-2-1 support for events or activities at the festival, from planning and design to delivery and evaluation. Please get in touch at festival@soton.ac.uk if you want to discuss your ideas with us. Otherwise, for all other public engagement enquiries, please contact peru@soton.ac.uk.
  • Online event package: for live online events, we will provide branded material to use and key communications to send out during your live event(s).  
  • Eventbrite: we have a dedicated UoS Festival Eventbrite account, which is the platform we use to advertise event booking and activities. This is our main channel of communication for event booking, tickets, feedback and reminder emails, to ensure the consistency and management of the Southampton Science and Engineering Festival programme.

 

How do I get in touch with the UoS Festival event team? 

If you are a member of the University of Southampton, you can use the Public Engagement Network channel on MS Teams to get (or share) advice, tips and suggestions.

Alternatively, and for any external enquiries, please email the core UoS Festival team at festival@soton.ac.uk - This inbox is monitored regularly from Monday to Friday, 9:00 – 17:00, but response time may be slower at busy times e.g. just before and during the Festival.

 

How is accessibility considered at Southampton Science and Engineering Festival?

We do our very best to make Southampton Science and Engineering Festival accessible to everyone whether it is our recent online version or face-to-face.

The official website has tools to enhance contrast, by inverting colours, and increasing/decreasing font size. All the activities will be coded for accessibility and age suitability.

For online events, we ask you to consider suitable options, such as platforms with live captions, and making sure slides are carefully designed to follow best accessibility practice.  

We ask all exhibitors to bear in mind accessibility issues with their online or in-person events and activities, and to provide alternative options (e.g. handouts) to ensure inclusivity.

If you have further questions or recommendations regarding accessibility, please email the UoS Festival team at festival@soton.ac.uk

 

How is Southampton Science and Engineering Festival advertised?

The UoS Festival team and the UoS Engagement and Advancement team will advertise the event through several channels to maximise reach locally and nationally.

Social media is a major channel for events promotion, with the support of other relevant teams across the University, including Marketing and Communications, Alumni, and Students Communication.

We also ask for each exhibitor’s support to advertise their own activities or events through their social media, blogs, websites or other communication channels. This helps market the event to different audiences in the UK. 

In-person and digital events are advertised through the UoS Festival mailing list (4K+ subscribers), as well as on regional event websites.

Some exhibitors will also be invited to promote Southampton Science and Engineering Festival and Science and Engineering Day on local radios and televisions. These opportunities will be supported by the UoS Media Relations team.

Posters and flyers will be distributed in venues across the Southampton, Eastleigh and Winchester area. The team at Widening Participation and Social Mobility will distribute copies at several local schools and post announcements on national websites.

Printed copies of poster and flyers can be requested at festival@soton.ac.uk

 

How is Southampton Science and Engineering Festival evaluated?

The Public Engagement with Research unit evaluate Southampton Science and Engineering Festival against its core objectives:

  1. Provide a platform for engagement with public groups around research/activity at institution.
  2. Provide an opportunity for researchers/staff/students to develop and improve their skills in interacting with public groups. 
  3. Enable involvement and new voices/perspectives in research.

As well as more generic monitoring, we consider formative and summative evaluation questions to support understanding of the value of the event and how to improve. Data collected will be used to improve our events, report to internal stakeholders and themes may be used to report to external stakeholders. All data collected is either anonymous at collection or anonymised at processing stage.

If there are specific outcomes you would like to measure from your activities/events, we suggest building it into your plans. We can provide advice on how to do this, if needed. We cannot carry out evaluation for your specific activity/event.

Current approaches:

  • Online live events – “Today’s Event”: to capture immediate reactions and build knowledge of our audience. By invitation in closing remarks of event host (link posted in the chat) and via follow-up email (Eventbrite bookings).
  • In-person events: feedback form attached in the “Thank you!” email sent to visitors who have booked via Eventbrite.
  • Systems/Social Media analytics: via booking system, Eventbrite, hashtags, platform insights, etc.

 

How can I stay connected on social media with Southampton Science and Engineering Festival?

To stay connected with the UoS Festival team, you can follow UoS Engagement on our social media channels, on Instagram, Bluesky, X and Facebook.

You can also follow #SOTSEF on social media for updates and news.

 

What other events can I contribute towards?

For Southampton Science and Engineering Festival you can contribute with one or more online or in-person events or activities.

The UoS Festival team will organise Science and Engineering Day as a face-to-face event in 2026. Internal and external exhibitors are welcome to submit one or more activities for the day.   

Apart from Southampton Science and Engineering Festival, the UoS Festival team at the Public Engagement with Research unit organises a number of family-friendly events across the year.

Our annual Southampton Arts and Humanities Festival runs every year in November to coincide with the Being Human festival and is the University of Southampton's annual celebration of Humanities and the Arts. The festival is a free series of public events to explore the world of humanities, the arts and beyond. The Festival usually concludes with Arts and Humanities Day, formerly known as Hands-on Humanities Day, a free family-friendly event with interactive hands-on activities, workshops, exhibitions and talks from across our Faculties

During the summer, the UoS Festival team also bring UoS members of staff and students to different regional events with the ‘Bringing Research to Life’ Roadshow, the University of Southampton’s itinerant platform designed to bring research to new audiences across the region.

For past events, please watch some of the recordings on the UoS Festival YouTube channel.