On 16 and 17 September 2026, the University of Salerno hosted a series of activities dedicated to Open Science, Citizen Science and Open Culture, as part of the activities of NEOLAiA WP8. The initiative provided an opportunity for exchange between the Alliance’s partner universities and the academic community, with a particular focus on knowledge sharing, participation and collaboration among institutions.
The internal meeting on 16 September: experiences and perspectives on Citizen Science
The first day was dedicated to the WP8 internal meeting and, in particular, to an analysis of the Citizen Science activities developed by NEOLAiA partners. The exchange proved particularly fruitful, with the discussion enriched by the sharing of different experiences, approaches and perspectives.
The presentations highlighted the variety of Citizen Science activities implemented or currently being developed within the Alliance. These initiatives range from involving citizens in data collection and production to science communication, from digital skills training to the enhancement of cultural and environmental heritage. In several contexts, the activities involve schools, local communities, associations, institutions and other local stakeholders, thereby creating opportunities for collaboration between universities and society.
The approaches presented included, for example, informal meetings between researchers and citizens, designed to foster dialogue and scientific awareness in an accessible and interdisciplinary setting. Some contributions also focused on the role of libraries and university spaces as places for meeting and participation, through events, workshops and initiatives aimed at local communities. In this context, the importance of establishing structured and ongoing forms of participation emerged, capable of transforming individual initiatives into lasting relationships between universities, citizens and local communities.
On the same day, participants had the opportunity to visit the new Virtual Theatre of the Department of Computer Science at the University of Salerno, located in Building F4, one of the University’s spaces dedicated to new ways of experiencing and enhancing content through immersive and digital technologies.
The public event on 17 September: NEOLAiA and Open Culture@UNISA in collaboration with Wikimedia
The activities continued on 17 September with the public event “NEOLAiA and Open Culture@UNISA”, dedicated to Open Culture, Open Science and Wikimedia projects.
At the opening, video greetings from Wikimedia France and Wikimedia Czech Republic highlighted the international dimension of the event and the importance of networks dedicated to free knowledge.
From 10:00 to 11:30, a session was held on the relationship between Wikimedia, Open Culture and the academic world, featuring contributions from Ferdinando Traversa (President of Wikimedia Italia), Giacomo Antonio Lombardi (PhD student in Humanities & Technologies – Digital Law at Suor Orsola Benincasa University of Naples and Wikimedia Italia expert), Andrea La Veglia (Regional Coordinator for Schools and Universities – Wikimedia Italia), Luigi Catalani (Director of the National Library of Potenza, Adjunct Professor at the University of Basilicata and member of Wikimedia Italia), and Alessandra Boccone, on behalf of Mariarosaria Califano (Director of the University Library Centre at the University of Salerno).
The presentations enabled participants to explore in greater depth the role of Wikimedia platforms in disseminating free knowledge, copyright-related issues, and opportunities for collaboration between Wikimedia communities and academic institutions.
The event also reached a wider audience through the YouTube livestream, which recorded approximately 400 views.
The editathon: NEOLAiA on Wikipedia
The second part of the day on 17 September saw participants engage in an editathon, a collaborative activity focused on editing and updating Wikimedia content. The work focused in particular on Wikipedia entries dedicated to the universities belonging to the Alliance, with the aim of adding and updating references to NEOLAiA in different languages. Participants reviewed the information already available, updated descriptions of the Alliance, and added sources and useful links to document NEOLAiA’s activities and presence across the different institutions.
The activity provided a concrete example of Open Culture in the university context: participants did not simply discuss open knowledge, but contributed directly to its creation, verification and dissemination.
The afternoon of 17 September also included a guided tour of some of the most characteristic places in Salerno, offering participants an opportunity to discover the city and its cultural heritage.
Sharing knowledge, building collaboration
The activities held on 16 and 17 September highlighted the variety of approaches through which NEOLAiA universities are developing Open Science, Citizen Science and Open Culture. In particular, the experiences shared demonstrated how opening up knowledge can translate into concrete practices of participation and collaboration. The meeting in Salerno therefore represented a further opportunity for exchange and joint development within the Alliance, strengthening dialogue among partner universities and opening up new perspectives for the development of shared initiatives in the field of open knowledge.
All photos of the event are available in our gallery.
