The initiative, driven by the Institutional Delegation of the CSIC in the Community of Madrid, has strengthened its role as a bridge between research and society. During the 2025-2026 academic year, a total of 637 scientific conferences were held in 47 municipalities, covering areas such as biotechnology, astronomy, mathematics, artificial intelligence, food, and sustainability.
The program, featuring 283 specialists offering 431 different lectures, had a clear educational focus. 93.4% of the activities took place in educational centers, primarily for Secondary and Baccalaureate Education, although Primary schools, Vocational Training centers, public libraries, and associations also participated.
The average attendance per conference was 44.6 people, indicating high engagement from the centers, where several student groups often participate simultaneously. Courses in the 3rd and 4th years of ESO and Baccalaureate saw the highest demand, highlighting the value of these talks as a supplementary educational tool and for fostering research vocations.
The activity was widely distributed geographically, with Madrid capital hosting approximately half of the conferences. The participation of entities from numerous municipalities underscores the program's ability to democratize access to scientific knowledge beyond major academic hubs.
An analysis of the ownership of participating entities reveals the initiative's public service vocation: 90.6% of the conferences were delivered in public entities, mainly public institutes, schools, and libraries. This reflects the CSIC's commitment to bringing excellent research to the public educational network.
Topics such as CRISPR, astronomy, sustainability, artificial intelligence, and circular economy were among the most requested. The most frequently delivered lecture was “The wonderful CRISPR gene editing tools,” by Lluis Montoliu, with 29 sessions.
A total of 215 speakers (76% of the catalog) actively participated. The CSIC centers with the highest activity were the National Biotechnology Center (CNB), the Center for Astrobiology (CAB), and the Institute of Food Science and Technology and Nutrition (ICTAN).
Satisfaction surveys showed extraordinarily high levels, with average scores above 4.7 out of 5 for all evaluated aspects. Comments highlighted the scientific quality, the researchers' communication skills, and their contribution to sparking scientific vocations among students.
The CSIC Scientific Conference Catalog is consolidated as a strategic tool for scientific culture, whose territorial reach, volume of participants, and excellent valuation reinforce its role in outreach within the Community of Madrid.
