INCENTIVE Project Kick-off Meeting, 9-10 February 2021, Virtual

We are happy to announce that a new H2020 SwafS project started in February! The INCENTIVE project – “Establishing Citizen Science Hubs in European Research Performing and Funding Organisations to drive institutional change and ground Responsible Research and Innovation in society” – was launched in a two-day kick-off meeting that was held on 9-10 February 2021. The project will last 3 years and it focuses on the establishment and institutionalisation of Citizen Science Hubs in 4 pilot Universities in Europe, aiming to bridge citizens with the scientific community through Citizen Science, eventually grounding Responsible Research and Innovation in society.

Initially scheduled to take place physically in the Netherlands, the event was held virtually due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The meeting was hosted by the project coordinator, University of Twente, and brought together the representatives of the 9 consortium partners from 8 different countries across Europe. The event gave to opportunities to all partners involved in INCENTIVE to meet and discuss in person their expectations for the project, together with the challenges and opportunities related to its implementation. In addition to the consortium partners, the meeting counted with the presence of Mr. Linder Farrer, Policy Officer – European Commission, who joined the meeting virtually and contributed by provided valuable comments. Mr. Yiannis Vacondios, the Project officer, gave the necessary guidelines to the consortium partners, especially to those without prior experience in the H2020 field, answered questions, and set the frame for the fruitful implementation of the project.

Over the two days of the meeting, partners presented their respective tasks and contributions under the overall work plan. Partners had also the possibility to mutually clarify points regarding their involvement in tasks, the timeline of the project, and the optimal channels of communication among them. In some cases, open discussion followed to complement the ideas and provide important feedback. Furthermore, a series of interactive activities took place, with partners resorting to game techniques for the conceptualization of Citizen Science, ideation of Citizen Science Hubs, and the general understanding of the projects’ vision and objectives. These ice-breaking activities fostered a sense of cooperation among partners and led to new ideas on Citizen Science Hubs.

Overall, the meeting resulted in a consortium-wide consensus about the next steps and promised an exciting 3-year cooperation!

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