Building Civic Ecosystems: CIVICLab Brings Universities, Communities and Public Institutions Together
31 March 2026 – Camerino, Italy
On 31 March 2026, more than 80 participants gathered at the Carlo Urbani School of Advanced Studies in Camerino for CIVICLab – Building Civic Ecosystems between University and Territory, a participatory event that brought together universities, public institutions, Third Sector organisations and European partners to explore new ways of collaborating for democratic innovation and territorial development.
Organised within the CIVICLAB – Learning, Acting & Bridging Communities for Democratic Innovation project, the event represented the beginning of a new collaborative pathway aimed at strengthening the relationship between higher education, civic participation and local development across European regions.
Three goals, one shared vision
The day was designed around three interconnected objectives:
strengthening dialogue between universities, Third Sector organisations and public administrations;
connecting local challenges with European perspectives;
activating collaborative co-design processes capable of generating concrete territorial projects.
At the heart of the event was the belief that universities can play a much broader role than education and research alone—acting as facilitators of collaboration, innovation and civic participation.
A new way of bringing people together
Instead of a traditional conference, the morning programme adopted an interactive talk show format that encouraged dialogue among institutional representatives, researchers, civil society organisations and European project partners.
Discussions focused on the challenges facing inland and mountain areas, the development of civic ecosystems in the Marche Region, and European experiences in deliberative democracy and community engagement.
Several key ideas emerged throughout the morning:
universities should become bridges between research and local communities;
inland territories can serve as laboratories for democratic innovation;
stronger and more stable relationships are needed between universities, institutions and the Third Sector;
Service-Learning offers a practical way to connect education with community needs.
Art as a catalyst for civic dialogue
One distinctive feature of CIVICLab was the integration of theatrical performances into the programme.
Rather than functioning as entertainment, these artistic interventions translated complex institutional and policy discussions into accessible narratives about territorial identity, collaboration and democratic participation. Themes such as distance, cooperation, governance and the relationship between projects and ecosystems helped participants reflect on the human dimension behind institutional change.
From ideas to collaborative projects
In the afternoon, the event shifted from dialogue to action through five facilitated thematic workshops focused on:
social well-being and community cohesion;
sport and active communities;
culture, environment and landscape;
civic education, governance and administrative simplification;
building European civic hubs.
Using structured co-design methods, participants identified local needs, prioritised challenges, generated project ideas and developed initial action plans involving universities, public administrations and community organisations.
Among the recurring priorities were improving communication between organisations, strengthening collaborative networks, increasing citizen participation, supporting young people and developing permanent spaces for co-design.
Service-Learning as the next step
A major outcome of the event was the preparation for the University of Camerino's forthcoming Service-Learning call, which will support projects developed jointly by students, researchers, public administrations and Third Sector organisations.
The discussions, needs and ideas emerging from the thematic workshops will directly inform the design of these collaborative projects, ensuring that academic learning is connected to real societal challenges and local priorities.
A model with European relevance
The report also highlights that the CIVICLab methodology was later presented at the National UniSL Conference in Palermo as an example of how universities located in inland areas can become engines of civic ecosystems and territorial innovation.
The combination of participatory dialogue, artistic facilitation, European collaboration and structured co-design was recognised as a transferable model that can inspire other universities seeking to strengthen Research Service-Learning and community engagement.
Contributing to the EPiCS vision
The CIVICLab experience strongly reflects the principles promoted by the EPiCS Project. By bringing together universities, citizens, public institutions and civil society organisations around shared territorial challenges, the event demonstrated how participatory methodologies can create the conditions for meaningful Research Service-Learning and long-term civic collaboration.
More than a single event, CIVICLab marked the beginning of a process aimed at building durable civic ecosystems where knowledge is co-created, students become active contributors to their communities, and universities evolve into genuine civic infrastructures capable of generating lasting public value.