Between 2007 and 2021 the British Council was the International Partner for FameLab working with Cheltenham Festivals who produced and created FameLab, so the materials featured here are from this period of time.
The biggest science communication competition in the world
FameLab International was a forerunner in global science communication programmes, with the original FameLab concept created in 2055 by the UK's Cheltenham Festivals, setting a framework and model in place for international expansion. The British Council was the International partner from 2007 until 2021.
FameLab is an international competition to find and support the world's most talented new science communicators. Participants have three minutes to win over the judges and audience with a scientific talk that excels for its content, clarity and charisma. Cheltenham Festivals held the first FameLab in 2005. Its partnership with the British Council in 2007 took the competition global, and to date, more than 40,000 scientists and engineers have taken part from across the world.
FameLab South Africa inspires the next generation of scientists and researchers to gain invaluable communication skills, and meet amazing like-minded people. They also become part of a growing network of scientists, researchers and engineers able to clearly and imaginatively explain their work to the general public. In South Africa, FameLab was delivered by a partnership including the British Council, the South African Agency for Science & Technology Advancement (NRF-SAASTA) and Jive Media Africa.
Learn more about FameLab South Africa’s impact by reading this booklet of perspectives from local alumni.