"Scientific Research has to be introduced in our schools" said the President of the Hellenic Republic, Prof. Prokopios Pavlopoulos, during the award ceremony of the "Build your Own Seismometer" Contest that was organised in the framework of the Open Schools for Open Societies and of the Open AIRE Advanced projects. Ellinogermaniki Agogi in collaboration with the National Observatory of Athens organised a major national contest with the participation of more than 100 schools across Greece. "Such synergies between schools and research institutions provide a great example for others to follow" said the President. "In this way we can change the current education paradigm towards a vision of excellence". Dr. Gerasimos Chouliaras, coordinator of the Schools Study Earthquakes Network, one the cornerstone projects of the above-mentioned initiatives, presented the school activities and the innovative students seismometers to the President of the Hellenic Republic. The President promised that he will continue to support the OSOS activities in the future.