- Convenors:
-
Marine Masson
(Science For Change)
Marius Oesterheld (Museum für Naturkunde Berlin)
Margaret Gold (Citizen Science Lab, leiden university)
joana Magalhães (Science for Change (SFC))
Mireia Ros Martínez (Science for Change)
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- Format:
- Roundtable
Short Abstract
Citizen Science is evolving differently across Europe. This roundtable draws on nation-wide workshops in Spain, Portugal, and Poland to explore how national policy strategies and EU-level efforts can align to support CS policy implementations and tackle shared societal challenges.
Description
Citizen Science (CS) is growing across Europe, shaped by diverse national policies, priorities, and geopolitical contexts. While some countries have more established CS structures and frameworks, others are exploring new pathways and building momentum through grassroots initiatives or emerging institutional support. This diversity reflects the richness of CS in Europe and offers valuable opportunities for mutual learning and collective progress, as highlighted in the Mutual Learning Exercise in Citizen Science, organised by the European Commission in 2023.
We’ll draw on the experience of three national policy workshops held in Spain, Portugal, and Poland as part of the European Citizen Science (ECS) project. They brought together quadruple helix actors to co-create national strategies tailored to their local realities. The knowledge generated in these spaces will contribute to deepen a broader discussion on how to effectively support and sustain CS at different governance levels across regions.
Participants involved in the ECS workshops will be invited to share their firsthand experiences: what motivates them to advance CS in their national contexts, what challenges they face, and what paths are emerging. Their contributions will be complemented by a European-level perspective, offering insights into how national strategies can align with broader EU efforts to embed CS in research, policy, and practice, such as those of the ERA Forum or future FP10.
By acknowledging regional differences and fostering dialogue, this session aims to inspire coordinated action to advance CS multilevel policy implementations across Europe, ensuring its potential is fully realized to address today’s complex societal challenges.
Accepted contributions
Short Abstract
Spain has over 20 years of CS experience, supported by national laws and the Open Science Strategy. The 2024 Madrid workshop co-created policy recommendations on awareness, access, incentives, training, and infrastructures. Progress is clear, but sustainability needs coordinated strategies.
Abstract
Spain has more than 20 years of CS experience, supported by policy framework and strong tradition of public engagement. Recent legal and strategic instruments—the Law of Science, Technology, and Innovation (Law 17/2022), the Organic Law of the University System (Law 2/2023), and the National Strategy on Open Science (2023–2027)—explicitly recognize CS as a pillar of open and participatory research. Institutions such as Fundación Ibercivis and the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT) have played a central role in advancing the field, creating national observatories and databases, and providing targeted funding opportunities. However, despite this progress, many initiatives remain fragile due to fragmented support, short-term funding schemes, and reliance on European programmes.
As part of the ECS project, Science For Change and Ibercivis led the national policy workshop Co-creating Change: Citizen Science, Impact, and National Policies in Madrid on 31/10/2024. The event brought together 4H stakeholders to identify motivations, barriers, and opportunities for mainstreaming CS within the Spanish research and innovation system. Through a co-creation process with backcasting methodology, participants developed actionable recommendations focused on raising awareness, expanding access, providing targeted incentives, strengthening training and academic recognition, and embedding CS within open data infrastructures.
These outcomes were consolidated in the Policy Brief on CS in Spain, published on 25/02/2025, which outlines concrete strategies to sustain and scale CS nationally. Spain’s experience illustrates achievements and ongoing challenges, underscoring the importance of coordinated efforts between national and regional actors to fully realize the transformative potential of CS for science, policy, and society.
Short Abstract
We present evidence from the EOSC Open Science Observatory, highlighting Citizen Science policies, monitoring mechanisms, financial investments, and country use cases to support coordinated policy action across Europe.
Abstract
Citizen Science is gaining momentum as part of Europe’s research and innovation agenda, with policies at national and EU levels increasingly recognising its value for more inclusive and socially relevant knowledge production. Yet, policy recognition alone is not enough. Without systematic monitoring, we cannot know if these policies are effective, whether they provide meaningful support, or how they contribute to broader Open Science goals.
The EOSC Open Science Observatory provides a unique evidence base by tracking policy developments and monitoring mechanisms across Europe, including those targeting Citizen Science. It helps policymakers and practitioners see how strategies are being implemented, where gaps remain, and what progress is being made.
Building on data from the EOSC Steering Board Survey on National Contributions to EOSC and Open Science, this contribution will present the current state of Citizen Science policies across Europe. We will highlight:
• Which countries have established national policies on Citizen Science
• How monitoring and reporting mechanisms are set up
• Levels of financial investment supporting Citizen Science
• Country use cases showcasing how commitments are turned into practice
We aim to spark discussion on how monitoring and shared data can support more effective, coordinated Citizen Science policy implementation across Europe. Monitoring is not only about accountability; it is a tool for learning, alignment, and scaling impact.
Short Abstract
Portugal has a growing citizen science (CS) community, consolidated with the RPCC in 2023 but facing limited funding and policy integration. The 2025 Lisbon workshop co-created recommendations on recognition, funding, capacity, and policy embedding, published in the ECS Policy Brief (31/07/2025).
Abstract
Citizen science (CS) in Portugal is gaining visibility and institutional recognition, with the formal establishment of the Portuguese Citizen Science Network (RPCC) in 2023 marking a key step. Yet major challenges persist, including the lack of dedicated national funding schemes, overreliance on voluntary structures, and limited integration of CS into overarching research and innovation policies.
As part of the European Citizen Science (ECS) project, the national workshop Ecossistemas de Ciência Cidadã e Políticas Locais-Regionais-Nacionais (Lisbon, July 2025) convened quadruple helix stakeholders to identify challenges and co-create actionable recommendations. These outcomes are consolidated in the ECS Policy Brief on Citizen Science in Portugal (31 July 2025), which highlights the need to formally support RPCC, establish sustainable multi-level funding frameworks (including tax incentives), expand capacity-building, and embed CS within a coherent national policy ecosystem.
Beyond the ECS framework, citizen science has also been featured in high-level academic fora. The Seminário de Jovens Cientistas of the Lisbon Academy of Sciences hosted a panel on CS at the Ciência, Humanidades e Sociedade conference. This will result in a forthcoming publication, including the chapter “Ciência Cidadã: o potencial e os desafios na implementação de um modelo de ciência aberta” (Leão, Luís, Magalhães, Monteiro, Pereira, 2025).
Finally, Portugal is actively contributing to the Mutual Learning Exercise on Science Communication in R&I (COALESCE project, 2025), which includes citizen science. Its policy report, expected in time for the ECSA Conference, will add further insights into the positioning of CS in national and European science policy.
Short Abstract
Canada’s citizen science ecosystem is active but fragmented across federal, provincial, territorial, and Indigenous contexts. European national strategies and regional coordination by ECSA provides a useful model for Canadian institutions to create a Canadian Citizen Science Association.
Abstract
This paper examines what Canada can learn from European national and regional CS strategies to build a federated Canadian Citizen Science Association (CCSA) that respects jurisdictional and cultural diversity while enabling coordination, training, and policy impact.
The interactions between the European Citizen Science Association (ECSA) and National Programs like Schweiz Forscht demonstrate how national initiatives help connect research institutions and local communities without imposing uniformity, and how these national initiatives in turn help integrate citizen science at a European level into education, policy, and innovation at a continental scale, with ECSA play a key role in this process.
Canada already hosts world-class examples of citizen science like the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, which foster environmental stewardship through hands-on data collection. In the Arctic, the project SmartICE exemplifies Indigenous-led, community-owned innovation combining local knowledge with technology.
However, these initiatives remain disconnected. A federated CCSA could link them through provincial and territorial chapters, complemented by Indigenous-led circles following OCAP and CARE principles. A light national secretariat could coordinate:
- a bilingual project registry interoperable with EU-Citizen.Science;
- open training and certification modules;
- a data and ethics framework aligning FAIR and Indigenous standards;
- shared impact metrics.
Collaboration with European counterparts could focus on joint training, data governance, and twinned regional projects (e.g., Montreal–Barcelona on urban biodiversity, Vancouver–Flanders on coastal plastics).
A federated CCSA, inspired by Europe’s multi-level governance yet rooted in Canada’s constitutional and cultural realities, would strengthen national collaboration, enhance international visibility, and ensure citizen science contributes meaningfully to research, education, and sustainable development.
Short Abstract
Citizen Science Connected is building a Swiss-wide network of CS Contact Points at higher education institutions. We share our aims, challenges, and early learnings in establishing this network, offering insights for other European countries seeking to implement or strengthen CS structures.
Abstract
Citizen Science (CS) in Switzerland is dynamic, yet fragmented. Many universities and grassroots actors engage in it, but activities remain isolated and lack visibility. To address this, CS Connected – a project by the University of Zurich and the University of Geneva – aims to establish a Swiss-wide network of CS Contact Points at universities and universities of applied sciences.
The project pursues two parallel goals: (1) co-creating a roadmap for a sustainable network of CS Contact Points, and (2) developing a Swiss-wide CS initiative in sustainability through a student competition. Contact Points are envisioned as visible, approachable hubs that promote CS locally, while the national initiative fosters institutional support, student engagement, and public visibility.
We will share first experiences and learnings, including identifying institutional gaps, engaging partners, and co-designing formats for mutual learning, while also outlining future pathways: enhancing visibility, increasing recognition within funding landscapes, and positioning CS as a well-known and widely accepted practice. We will also discuss the opportunities and challenges we encountered, including institutional buy-in, resource needs, and maintaining momentum.
Finally, we will reflect on the advantages and disadvantages of focusing on universities and universities of applied sciences (higher education institutions) in establishing this network and the effects this decision may have on the visibility and accessibility outside major university locations.
Short Abstract
Poland has a growing CS ecosystem, supported by recent references in the State Science Policy but lacking strong institutional embedding and stable funding. The 2025 Kraków workshop co-created recommendations on capacity-building, legal support, recognition, and dedicated structures.
Abstract
Citizen science (CS) in Poland has deep historical roots, with modern initiatives accelerating after EU accession in 2004 and expanding through biodiversity monitoring, marine research, and international projects such as JoinUs4Health and CREST. Today, CS is referenced in the State Science Policy (2022) as one of the three pillars of open science, yet it remains weakly embedded in legislation, funding frameworks, and research evaluation systems. Most initiatives are still driven by universities, research institutes, NGOs, or municipalities, and rely heavily on EU programmes, indicating limited sustainability.
As part of the European Citizen Science (ECS) project, the national policy workshop Współtworzenie zmian: nauka obywatelska, polityka krajowa, oddziaływanie (Kraków, 10 June 2025) brought together quadruple helix stakeholders to identify challenges and co-create solutions tailored to the Polish R&I context. Participants emphasized the need for stronger legal and institutional support for participatory practices, tailored capacity-building for different actors, recognition and incentives for contributors and researchers, and the creation of dedicated support centres to facilitate implementation.
These outcomes are consolidated in the ECS Policy Brief on Citizen Science in Poland (23 July 2025), which outlines priority actions to strengthen CS as a driver of scientific excellence, social trust, and innovation. By highlighting both achievements and structural barriers, Poland’s case underscores the importance of scaling up legal frameworks, dedicated funding, and recognition mechanisms to ensure CS can be institutionalised and sustained. The policy brief positions CS as a vital instrument for inclusive knowledge production and evidence-informed policymaking in Poland and across Europe.