Fostering Digital Civics Research and Innovation in Lisbon

Project Information

DCitizens

Grant agreement ID: 101079116

DOI

10.3030/101079116

Project closed

EC signature date 28 June 2022

Start date 1 December 2022

End date 30 November 2025

Funded under

• Widening participation and spreading excellence

Total cost

€ 1 074 653,75

EU contribution

€ 1 074 653,00

Coordinated by

IST-ID ASSOCIACAO DO INSTITUTO SUPERIOR TECNICO PARA A INVESTIGACAO E O DESENVOLVIMENTO
Portugal

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - DCitizens (Fostering Digital Civics Research and Innovation in Lisbon)

Reporting period: 2022-12-01 to 2025-11-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

DCitizens strengthened European excellence in Digital Civics by enhancing research capacity, training, and institutional transformation at IST-ID and its research unit, the Interactive Technologies Institute (ITI/LARSyS), while extending impact to Instituto Superior Técnico – Universidade de Lisboa (IST/ULisboa). The project aimed to establish a leading European pole of excellence in Digital Civics through advanced training, international collaboration, and citizen-led research innovation.

The project delivered substantial capacity-building through staff exchanges, training for early-stage researchers, the establishment of a professional research management unit, and the development of a relational, commissioning-based research model. DCitizens contributed to a significant increase in scientific output, international visibility, and participation in EU-funded research, while generating policy-relevant evidence aligned with EU priorities on citizen participation, inclusion, and responsible digital innovation.

The objectives of DCitizens were fully achieved as follows:

O1 – Enhance IST-ID research profile and innovation competence in Digital Civics
Achieved through the establishment of a dedicated Research Management Unit, increased EU proposal submissions, and a strong rise in high-quality scientific publications.

O2 – Provide training to staff and early-stage researchers
Achieved through extensive staff exchanges, MSc/PhD co-supervision, short courses, summer schools, and invited lectures, creating critical mass at the interface of research, government, and civil society.

O3 – Establish a leading pole of excellence in Digital Civics in Europe
Achieved through international visibility, flagship publications, a new doctoral program, and recognition of ITI as a reference centre in Digital Civics.

O4 – Strengthen and expand collaborative networks between Twinning partners
Achieved through joint events, mobility, proposal development, and seven new funded projects.

O5 – Establish a Digital Civics Research and Innovation Agenda aligned with Smart Specialisation
Achieved through commissioned, citizen-led research projects addressing societal challenges and informing regional and European innovation agendas.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The work plan included staff exchanges, joint scientific and training events, actions to enhance early-stage researcher profiles, training for research management staff, and the implementation of citizen-led commissioned research projects. These activities were implemented successfully and, in several cases, exceeded the original targets defined.

Key achievements include 133 weeks of staff exchanges, 17 short courses, four summer schools, an invited lectures series with 27 speakers, 32 international publications, 15 EU proposals submitted, seven funded projects, the establishment of a professional Research Management Unit, institutionalisation of a new citizen-led commissioning research model, and support for five projects led by local communities in Lisbon.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

DCitizens advanced the state of the art by institutionalising a relational, commissioning-based research model in which citizens act as co-creators of research agendas rather than passive end-users. This approach represents a significant departure from conventional participatory or consultative research and innovation models for digital technologies. By embedding this model within ITI’s organisational structures, DCitizens created a sustainable framework for community-led digital innovation, contributing new methodological and governance approaches to Digital Civics. Furthermore, the team co-created a project-wide Digital Civics Ethics Framework with local communities and contributed with a printable toolkit that instantiates the framework into a practicable and actionable set of activities for Digital Civics and community-led projects.

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