Harnessing the Power of Citizen Science in Universities: A certified training experience for academic researchers and social actors

We share the experience of a certified training in citizen science by the University of Barcelona. The program was overwhelmingly successful (151 registrations), exceeding our initial expectations. Most participants were university staff or from social organizations. The training emphasized the social dimensions of citizen science and had a dynamic format. Participants were broadly aware of the citizen science concept, but lacked knowledge about the tools, skills and perspective to run a CS project involving different social actors. The initiative represents a significant step in integrating citizen science into university curricula and professional development in the Spanish context.