In 2023, the Babeș-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca (UBB) began taking steps toward science that is more open to society by developing Romania’s first citizen science platform, which was officially launched in May 2024. Since then, UBB, through its Office for Open Science, has continued to promote participatory science, build institutional capacity, and train personnel in this field.
These efforts formed the basis of the TRUST-SCIENCE initiative – Towards a Romanian Unified Citizen Science Network for Transformative Citizen Participation and Engaged National Collaborative Effort, which has been officially recognized by UNESCO as part of the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (2024–2033). The national Citizen Science platform, the first digital infrastructure of its kind in Romania, facilitates citizen involvement in research projects, connects communities with the academic world, and supports the collection and use of citizen-generated data, the development of collaborative projects, and the transfer of results to decision-makers and society.
This year, the TRUST-SCIENCE initiative was presented at the Global Conference of the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (2024–2033), organized by UNESCO in Paris, where representatives of governments, research institutions, and international organizations discussed the progress made during the first two years of the Decade and highlighted scientific solutions to global challenges. As an initiative officially endorsed by UNESCO, the project coordinated by UBB showcased Romania’s experience in developing a national Citizen Science network and contributed to strengthening international collaboration dedicated to open, participatory science oriented toward sustainable development.
The initiative is financially supported by the SSF grant “Creating a National Participatory Science Network and Integrating It into European Open Science Networks,” Special Situations Fund, Ministry of Education and Research, No. 473/46/GP/29.06.2026.
Link to the initiative on the Decade’s website.
