December 4, 2024, marked the culmination and the conclusion of a series of stakeholder consultations, initiated over spring, with the LIBER CeOS_SE Multiplier event. The event synthesised the project’s key outputs, consolidated its findings into actionable recommendations for promoting Citizen Science (CS) and Open Science (OS) practices, and opened the discussion beyond the field of library and information science. Over 30 participants, including project partners and experts, were present for the occasion.
The event occurred in The Hague, the Netherlands, and revolved around three pivotal themes that have guided the CeOS project for the past three years.
Citizen Science in Curricula
The first session centered on integrating Citizen Science into higher education, addressing both opportunities and challenges. The three presenters – Theodora Karaiskou (University of Patras), Berit Elisabeth Alving and Thomas Kaarsted (University Library of Southern Denmark (SDU)) and Sabine Wildevuur, director of DesignLab and the Citizen Science Hub Twente, and project coordinator for the HORIZON-project INCENTIVE – participated in a panel discussion, moderated by Elena Giglia (University of Torino). During the session, they all emphasised the role of multidisciplinary approaches and the importance of empowering active citizenship through education.
Citizen Science Networks
This session highlighted the value of collaboration and skill-building. Participants explored synergies across regions. After Dolores Mumelas (NSK) introduced a new Working Group for Citizen Science in Libraries in Zagreb, Margaret Gold offered an overview of the achievements of the CS NL Network after two years of existence, serving as an interesting parallel which highlighted the added value and challenges of such network structures. David Oldenhof, from a think tank working on active citizenship, introduced the upcoming Amsterdam Citizen Science Hub
CeOS Recommendations
The final session focused on policy development and the broader adoption of CeOS intellectual results, such as skills and infrastructure with presentations from Anne Kathrine Overgaard (SDU), the authors of Roadmap on CeOS in the Balkans, Aleksandra Trtovac and Nataša Dakić from the University Library “Svetozar Markovic” in Belgrade, Serbia, as well as Alisa Martek (NSK) for her role in the LIBER CS Working Group. The event concluded with a resonant statement by Anne Kathrine Overgaard: “Citizen Science can be a matter of life and death for universities, so yes, it is worth the trouble!” The sentence captured the essence of the exchanges of the day. Despite the many challenges listed and discussed during the event, predominantly funding and skills, all participants stressed the vital role of CS and OS in shaping inclusive, sustainable research ecosystems. By fostering collaboration and dialogue, the event set the stage for lasting impact and further innovation across Europe.
