CIVIS Open Lab Rolling Call for participatory research, service learning and design thinking initiatives

The CIVIS Open Labs Rolling Call is an initiative led by the Open Labs of the CIVIS Alliance, aimed at strengthening connections between member universities and local communities to foster participatory, inclusive, and impactful collaboration. These interdisciplinary and collaborative spaces—both physical and virtual—serve as a bridge between academia and society, promoting innovation and co-creation at local, regional, and international levels.

This call provides funding opportunities for researchers and staff from CIVIS universities to develop transnational projects that align with the core objectives of the CIVIS Open Labs, namely:

• Promoting Service-Learning Activities: Encouraging students and researchers to engage with communities through experiential learning that addresses real-world challenges.

• Supporting Participatory and Citizen Research: Actively involving citizens and stakeholders in the research process to co-create knowledge and develop solutions.

• Advancing Design Thinking Methodologies: Facilitating innovative problem-solving by integrating diverse perspectives and interdisciplinary approaches.

• Building Partnerships Beyond Academia: Collaborating with external organizations, such as NGOs, local authorities, businesses, and citizens, to create impactful teaching and research projects.

Who can apply?

Applications can be submitted by academics and staff from CIVIS universities. We strongly encourage the collaboration with external stakeholders and students. Interested stakeholders and students can contact the local Open Lab Coordinators to be put in relation with academics.

What types of activities are funded?

CIVIS Open Labs support a diverse range of projects and activities developed through the alliance that operates locally and internationally. These initiatives span various domains, including but not limited to:

• Promotion and dissemination of methods: Training programs on service-learning, participatory research, or design thinking.

• Workshops on specific themes: Events involving researchers, local authorities, and community stakeholders to address pressing issues.

• Collaborative projects: Initiatives that connect academia with external organizations to co-develop solutions for societal challenges.

Each eligible University has 80,000 EUR in its budget allocated to open labs-related projects during the CIVIS2 period, ending on 30.09.2026. The exact amount of funding available for individual projects should be discussed with the Open Lab Coordinators of the involved institutions.

This is a rolling call with a monthly deadline, occurring on the last day of each month until January 30, 2026. Applications are evaluated during the following month (final validation can take up to two months).