Final ECS policy event in Brussels: Strengthening Public Engagement in Research: Evidence, Impact, and Future Pathways

Nadia Bates,
April 28, 2026, 11 a.m.

As part of the ECS final event series, we are hosting a policy event in collaboration with the IMPETUS and RIECS-Concept projects. This event, titled “Strengthening Public Engagement in Research: Evidence, Impact, and Future Pathways”, will take place in Brussels on 4 June and highlight how scaling citizen engagement can help ensure that research and policymaking are inclusive, transparent, trusted, and impactful. 

By sharing impact stories from policymakers across Europe and showcasing achievements of lighthouse citizen science initiatives in a wide range of fields—including biodiversity, public health, urban planning, climate change adaptation—the event will demonstrate how public engagement in research contributes to evidence-based policymaking and delivers tangible scientific and societal outcomes. To illustrate how this added value could be scaled, we will present possible future pathways for citizen science in Europe, including approaches to funding, infrastructure, policy integration, and institutional support. 

Through these inputs, the event will underline the valuable role citizen science is already playing in advancing various EU policy priorities, while offering concrete insights into how we can further enhance its impact across Europe. 

For further information on this event please contact Nadia Bates (nadia.bates[at]mfn.berlin).