RIECS-Concept

The RIECS-Concept (Towards A Pan-European Research Infrastructure For Excellent Citizen Science) project officially started on January 1, 2025, thus marking the beginning of an ambitious initiative to build a strong foundation for the future of citizen science in Europe. The project is set for 36 months and will deliver a conceptual design with a feasibility study and a five-year implementation plan. It will tackle technical, societal, and environmental challenges to establish a sustainable and shared Research Infrastructure. The consortium of RIECS-Concept, led by Ibercivis and co-coordinated with ECSA, brings together 13 partners, including key organisations in the field, such as Citizen Science Global Partnership, IIASA, and CSIC. RIECS-Concept aims to conceptualise the new research infrastructure in Europe through the engagement of multiple stakeholders and acknowledging society as a part of the research infrastructure. The projects will bridge typical citizens‘ used resources, such as mobile apps, amateur scientific kits or personal accessibility, with professional scientific resources, such as databases, federated computing and storage facilities, citizen science platforms, and dedicated personnel. The RIECS-Concept will form the base for initiating the unique research infrastructure and consolidating citizen science in Europe. The RIECS-Concept focuses on three scientific areas – environmental observations, health, and climate change – to facilitate engagement and address cross-cutting issues. These areas serve as a basis for examining citizen science as a scientific case. The European Union’s HORIZON EUROPE Research and Innovation programme funded the project under grant agreement No. 101188210.