Citizen Science Hub Twente, part of DesignLab at the University of Twente, has been awarded €400,000 in funding from the Dutch Research Council (NWO) to grow into a broad regional hub. Together with Saxion University of Applied Sciences, the Province of Overijssel, the Municipality of Enschede, Tetem, Twentse Noabers and other partners, the University of Twente is building PRO BONO: Citizen Research Network East.
Science with and for society
With this initiative, the University of Twente strengthens its ambition to actively connect science with society and to develop knowledge that directly contributes to tackling societal challenges in the region. PRO BONO aligns with the UT’s broader strategic direction to be a university of societal impact—reaching beyond the walls of the campus. Researchers from all UT faculties involved in citizen science participate in this initiative.
Regional challenges call for collaboration
PRO BONO focuses on collaboration between science, policy, and society. Citizens in East Netherlands—particularly in the regions of Twente and the Achterhoek—are facing urgent societal challenges, such as climate change, drought, and flooding, changing relationships between urban and rural areas, health and wellbeing (with lower life expectancy than the national average). These complex issues demand a collaborative approach, where citizens’ experiences and knowledge take centre stage. This is exactly what PRO BONO stands for.
“With PRO BONO, we are strengthening the collaboration between the university, university of applied sciences, governments, civil society organisations and citizens. We are building a network that empowers local communities to actively contribute ideas, conduct research, and innovate around the issues that matter most to them,” says Saskia Baas, coordinator of the Citizen Science Hub Twente.
Broad collaboration and capacity building
Through PRO BONO, the University of Twente and Saxion University of Applied Sciences combine their experiences in citizen science—particularly in the areas of health, social cohesion, and sustainability. The NWO funding allows the hub to:
- expand the network across the region,
- build learning communities where citizens, researchers, and policymakers collaborate,
- and structurally improve the quality of citizen science.
About the Citizen Science Hub Twente
The Citizen Science Hub Twente has been active since 2023 and plays a key role in supporting and connecting citizen science research at the University of Twente. With PRO BONO, the hub is evolving into a broadly supported regional citizen science network, centred on reciprocity, impact, and inclusion.
Professor Barend van der Meulen, the main applicant of the NWO grant, has been involved in the hub since its inception as a member of the advisory board.
More information
For more information about PRO BONO or the Citizen Science Hub Twente, please contact:
Saskia Baas
Coordinator Citizen Science Hub Twente
✉️ saskia.baas@utwente.nl
📞 +31 6 38322359
