The CEOS_SE multiplier event occurred in Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus on the 14th of October 2024. The event, held by the University of Cyprus Library, aimed to strengthen Citizen Science and Open Science uptake in the country, present the project results, connect to relevant stakeholders and increase the sustainability of results.
The event was divided into three sections and the audience could see Open Science and Citizen Science examples and best practices from different subject areas such as humanities, energy, health, business and environmental science.
At the first session welcome addresses were given by the Vice Rector of Academic Affairs of the University of Cyprus Prof. Tatiana-Eleni Synodinou, Mrs Lina Tsoumpanou, Representative of the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy of the Republic of Cyprus and Mrs Elena Diomidi-Parpouna, Director of the University of Cyprus Library.
The project CeOS_SE was presented by Mrs Sylvia Koukounidou (University Officer, CEOS_SE project partner). In her presentation entitled “The CeOS_SE Project – Citizen-Enhanced Open Science in Southeastern Europe Higher Education Knowledge Hubs: Progress and Outcomes” she presented in detail the outcomes of the project: PR1A1 collection of good practice of citizen engagement in university libraries & PR1A3 guidelines on citizen engagement in OS; PR2A1 collection of practices of university and public libraries’ collaboration in SE Europe to mainstream CeOS & PR2A3 study: upscaling collaboration between academic and public libraries for CeOS in SE Europe; PR3A2 lessons learnt from CeOS implementation & PR3A3 training guide and self-assessment tool for delivery of CeOS activities; PR4A3 roadmap on CeOS in the Balkan region; PR5A1 report on current practice in CeOS uptake in Higher education curricula in Library studies in SE Europe, PR5A2 Digital showcase of integration of CeOS in HE curricula in SE Europe & PR5A3 results of audit: citizen science feeding into the Open Science cycle in SE Europe.
Mrs Koukounidou concluded her presentation by outlining the results that are still in progress and the future potential collaborations that could arise internally to keep the connection and perform further Citizen Science actions.
The second session included four examples of Citizen Science. Mrs Anthi Tofari, Director of the Research, Studies, and Publications Service of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Cyprus presented the incredible work of her and her team to gather data from all Cyprus to illustrate life before and after 1974, the coup, the invasion, the displacement and missing persons. With citizens’ contribution a remarkable collection of exhibits, including images of the Cypriot landscape, photographs, official documents, books, posters, stamps, artefacts, heirlooms, artworks, cinematic representations, and testimonies from those who experienced the events was achieved. The collection is now an exhibition in Nicosia and Athens respectively, entitled “Cyprus 1974: Memory is the only homeland of the people”. In the same line Dr Katerina Zourou, Director of Web2Learn, gave an inspiring talk on the topic “University Libraries in Times of Crisis: Supporting Ukrainian Refugees Through Open Innovation”. By using practical examples Dr Zourou, presented how libraries can play a crucial role in troubled times, activating citizens towards innovation.
The next presentation was by Professor George Artopoulos. Professor Artopoulos presented an innovative work of the project TRANS-lighthouses project and the Pilot Cases in Strovolos, with the topic “Citizen science methods as part of co-diagnostic activities in urban living labs: accessing living knowledge about the Linear Park of Pedieos”, ending in fruitful discussions on citizen science and Open Science.
The last presentation of the second session was held by Professor Angelika Kokkinaki, Dean of Business School of the University of Nicosia. She presented “Co-creating Smart Services: Best practices from OPENDCO project”. In her presentation, Prof Kokkinaki showcased the multiple ways data can benefit citizens.
The introductory speech of the third session was given by Dr Marios Demetriades, Director of Research and Innovation Support Service of the University of Cyprus and
Executive Director of the European Office of Cyprus. He provided an in-depth analysis of how the University of Cyprus is working towards Open Science.
Following this, there were three presentations from Centres of Excellence at the University of Cyprus. These presentations demonstrated that Citizen Science and Open Science are integral to the research ecosystem and essential for scientific procedures.
The presentations were:
- “Open Science Practices in KIOS CoE” by Dr Christos Laoudias,
- “Citizen Science – Best Practices in the Energy Sector” by Dr George Makrides for the PHAETHON CoE, and
- “Empowering Research: Best Practices in Citizen Science for the Biobank at Biobank.cy” by Dr Apostolos Malatras.
These examples highlighted the necessity and critical role of Citizen Science in advancing research. The event concluded with a fruitful discussion among the audience (consisting of diverse stakeholders e.g., HE management, HE academic and library staff, public library staff, researchers, and policymakers) and final remarks on the necessity of the collaborations and the continuation of raising awareness around Open Science and Citizen Science.
Author: Sylvia Koukounidou
