What if citizens could give your research a boost?

Did you know that lichens can reveal air quality? In the LichenGo project, citizens and researchers collaborate to observe these organisms and map pollution across Europe - a great example of participatory science!

Other examples? Citizens can contribute to the documentation and preservation of cultural heritage sites in the CitizenHeritage project or to the surveillance of exotic Aedes mosquitoes in Belgium in the MEMO+ project or to the assessment of multi-modal traffic in various cities in the Telraam project.

But what is citizen science?

It’s a scientific approach where researchers and volunteer citizens work together to collect and analyze data. This collaboration expands observational capacity, generates new knowledge, and strengthens the bond between science and society.

Are you a CIRCLE-U PhD student, researcher, academic, or science communicator? 

Would you like to explore this approach and apply it to your own work?

Join the PReCISE Summer School, from July 7 to 11, 2025! This immersive training will help you understand, experiment with, and integrate citizen science into your research projects.

It fosters interdisciplinary knowledge exchange and skill development through interactive lectures, workshops, and hands-on activities.

Why participate?

Citizen Science Fundamentals – Including project design, participant engagement, data processing, and result dissemination.

Hands-on Experience – Apply CS techniques through interactive workshops, case studies, and project simulations.

Ethical & Logistical Challenges – Explore best practices for conducting CS, with a focus on the Global South.

Networking & Collaboration – Connect with experts and peers to foster interdisciplinary partnerships.

Program

The program is divided into two parts:

Days 1-3: Core Citizen Science topics (project design, participant engagement, data processing, result dissemination, and funding opportunities).

Days 4-5: Special session, in collaboration with AfricaMuseum and the University of the Western Cape, exploring best practices for Citizen Science projects in/with the Global South (socio-cultural, logistical, and ethical challenges).

Interactive workshops will guide the participants in designing their own CS projects, while fostering networking opportunities. By blending theory with practice, the PReCISE summer school will ensure attendees leave with the tools and confidence to effectively apply CS methodologies in diverse contexts, ultimately contributing to more inclusive and impactful scientific initiatives.

For whom

PhD students, postdocs, researchers interested in Citizen Science (CS).

When and where?

Date of the online introduction session is 23 June 2025 (morning).

July 7-11, 2025 (hybrid format). Participants can be on-site or online. UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.

ECTS and evaluation

Credits: 5 ECTS (1 ECTS per day of participation)

Evaluation: No formal assessment, but PhD students will receive a certificate of completion awarding 5 ECTS. All participants will receive a certificate of participation.

Language

English

Funding

Tuition is free of charge. 

Participants should check with their home university’s international office for potential funding opportunities for travel costs.

Aarhus University: aarhus@circle-u.eu 
University of Belgrade: Nikola Savic nikola.savic@rect.bg.ac.rs 
Humboldt Universität zu Berlin: berlin@circle-u.eu 
King’s College London: Students are not eligible for Erasmus+ funding, but may have access to internal funding. Please check for funding opportunities or contact the Circle U. Team for more information: circle-u@kcl.ac.uk 
UCLouvain: infocircleu@uclouvain.be 
University of Oslo: shortterm-uio@admin.uio.no 
Université Paris Cité: circleu.iro@u-paris.fr and online at u-paris.fr 
University of Pisa: circleU.erasmus@unipi.it and on website.
University of Vienna: circle-u@univie.ac.at

How to apply?

Application deadline: 20 April, 2025

Registration form

Contact

Caroline Michellier, UCLouvain

Marnik Vanclooster, UCLouvain

The summer school is co-funded by a seed fund of Circle U., the thematic graduate school ENVITAM, and the sector of science and technology (SST) of UCLouvain.