INOS: Integrating Open and Citizen Science Into Active Learning Approaches in Higher Education

Open Science (OS) and Citizen Science (CS) are growing exponentially. Over the last decade, OS has rapidly become a catalyst in shaping research and society in the European Union. Meanwhile, an increasing number of CS initiatives engage citizens in digitized projects for a social purpose in an open framework of collaboration.

The Project

Funded by the European Union’s Erasmus+ Programme under Key Action 2 Cooperation for Innovation and Good Practice, the INOS project aims at modernizing Higher Education Institutions’ (HEIs) curricula through civic engagement in OS and CS. The main objectives include:

• Generating an evidence-based overview of trends in OS and CS public activities
• Strengthening OS and CS practice through solid pedagogical grounding from well-tested active learning pedagogies
• Inviting citizens at partner HEIs to join CS projects in the form of Open Knowledge Activities (OKAs)
• Organizing Open Innovation Activities (OIAs) bringing together higher education (HE) staff and students in collaborative and interdisciplinary projects
• Upskilling HE staff (academic and library) and students through the exposure of contemporary trends in public engagement and modernizing HE curricula by integrating and mainstreaming OS and CS practices in HE teaching practice
• Triggering policy change by raising awareness on the societal impact of OS and CS.

INOS addresses a wide spectrum of stakeholders such as HE management, academic and library staff, students, policy makers, funding bodies, business stakeholders, European and international networks for training and skills related to OS and CS.

The Consortium is composed of 4 HEIs — Aalborg University, Tallinn University, the University of Oulu and the University of Bordeaux — Web2Learn (a SME) and LIBER.

LIBER’s Role

LIBER participates in activities targeting libraries and supports their active involvement in the discussion of curricula and skills modernization. LIBER is leading dissemination activities and the project output on engagment, awareness raising and fostering policy change.