The primary objective of the ScienceUs project is to establish a connected, EU-wide network of citizen science initiatives. This is being achieved through the delivery of a comprehensive support program — Upscaling Academy — structured around a three-phase service model: Seed, Flourish, and Harvest. The Academy is providing both direct funding and expert services to a select group of high-potential citizen science projects, guiding them from early development through growth and eventual impact.
To ensure broad engagement, a robust strategy for communication, dissemination, and knowledge transfer is being implemented, engaging all actors in the quadruple helix around these newly formed networks.
Project Structure.
The 36-month ScienceUs project is structured into five distinct work packages. WP1 is devoted to the coordination of the entire consortium. WP2 conducts a benchmarking exercise on existing citizen science projects to identify the barriers, needs, and challenges for implementing best practices within the New ERA and EU missions. WP3 focuses on selecting and supporting the most promising initiatives for upscaling across Europe. WP4 analyses the project's impact and facilitates the transfer of its results to policymakers, while WP5 manages all communication, dissemination, sustainability, and exploitation activities.
Expected Results and Impacts
The ScienceUs project is expected to deliver several key outcomes. These include the development of toolkits, training materials, and methodologies that promote best practices in citizen science. The establishment of a network of interconnected citizen science initiatives is also foreseen, enabling the active sharing of resources, data, and synergies. Furthermore, the project will introduce a new approach to facilitate the engagement of quadruple helix actors in citizen science sub-projects. Lastly, ScienceUs aims to generate increased interest from funding bodies in the supported initiatives and to produce materials—such as policy briefs—that inform and influence the revision of relevant policies.
