How can we make citizen engagement in research more meaningful, more inclusive, and more impactful?
This INSPIRING ERA online event on Tuesday 27 January at 10-12 CET will explore what works in public engagement and citizen science through real examples from across Europe. The session will share practical lessons from innovative initiatives across Europe and highlight insights generated through European mutual learning on how to bring science closer to citizens.
Participants will hear from leading public engagement and citizen science projects selected for their success in widening participation and achieving impact. A panel will reflect on key learnings from national practices and mutual learning exercises, identifying transferable approaches to embed citizen engagement in research across the European Research Area.
This event is for anyone wishing to embed meaningful participation in their work. Join us to exchange ideas, learn from practice, and help shape the future of citizen engagement across Europe.
Organised by the INSPIRING ERA project as part of a series of online events to support the implementation of the European Research Area (ERA) Policy Agenda. Event organised in consultation with the Trust in Science ERA Action sponsors: Swedish Research Council, ALLEA and BMFTR (German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space).
Materials from the event can be found here.
Overview of the Programme:
Welcome
Showcase: Inspiring practices from across Europe
Short presentations showcasing innovative public engagement and citizen science initiatives
- Amai! (Flanders, Belgium) – Karen Verstraelen, Project Manager Citizen Science, Scivil
Amai! is a citizen-science initiative launched in 2021 by Scivil (Flemish Knowledge Centre for Citizen Science), together with the Knowledge Centre Data & Society in Flanders, Belgium. The programme invites citizens to co-create artificial-intelligencesolutions to societal challenges. Through workshops, public events, and collaborative challenges, participants are actively involved in shaping ideas, testing prototypes, and reflecting on the role of AI in everyday life. Since its inception, amai! has reached more than a million Flemish citizens through partnerships with public radio, social media campaigns, and grassroots outreach, complemented by strong visibility on its own platform. - HEROINES (Serbia) – Dr Ivan Djordjević, Senior Research Associate, Institute of Ethnography SASA
HEROINES is a citizen-science initiative that centres Roma women, enabling them to document their histories, experiences of solidarity and community heritage through participatory mapping and co-created storytelling. Awarded the EU Prize for Citizen Science Grand Prize (2025), the project is recognised for its inclusive, community-driven approach and its impact in empowering marginalised groups and challenging social exclusion. - Wijkwijs (Netherlands) – Dr Beitske Boonstra, Department of Public Administration and Sociology, Erasmus University Rotterdam
Wijkwijs is a university-initiated, Rotterdam-based citizen and community research collective that supports a city-wide network of neighbourhood-based research projects. Coordinated by the Erasmus University Rotterdam, the initiative brings together residents, researchers, city planners and social organisations to explore local challenges and co-develop solutions. Through shared research, neighbourhood knowledge exchange and hands-on collaboration, Wijkwijs strengthens community expertise and enables local voices to influence decisions shaping everyday life in the city. - Creating Our Future (Ireland) – Brendan Owens, Programme Manager – Education and Public Engagement, Research Ireland
Creating Our Future was Ireland’s first national public conversation on research, carried out in 2021–2022. Through a country-wide programme of workshops, roadshow events, community outreach and digital engagement, people were invited to share their ideas, concerns and ambitions for the future of Ireland. More than 18,000 submissions were received, demonstrating a strong public appetite to shape the national research agenda and real confidence in the potential of research to improve lives and support a sustainable future.
Panel discussion: strategies for impact
Evidence, good practices and transferable approaches for widening citizen engagement in research
- Professor Alan Irwin, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark and Chair of the European Commission Mutual Learning Exercise on Citizen Science
- Maria Hagardt, Senior Research Officer at the International Secretariat of the Swedish Research Council and national representative of the European Commission Mutual Learning Exercise on Public Engagement.
- Dr Ken Skeldon, President of EUSEA and Head of Public Engagement, University of Glasgow, UK
- Frederike Schmitz, Programme leader Citizen Science / Societal Engagement at Open Science NL, part of the Dutch Research Council (NWO).
Outlook for the future: The new ERA Structural policy on “Enhancing Trust in Science through Citizen Participation and Communication” – future plans and opportunities for participation
Dr Georgios Papanagnou, Policy Officer, DG Research and Innovation, European Commission
