CivicLab is a project designed to create a transformative civic innovation ecosystem. It aims to revitalize democratic life at the local level by transforming university towns into "living laboratories" of participatory democracy and citizen innovation.
It addresses the rising democratic disengagement, social inequalities, and disinformation by fostering grassroots participation, co-design, service learning, citizen science, and deliberative democracy methods.
CivicLAB is building a new culture of democratic participation across Europe through four innovative CivicLAB Hubs in Italy, Spain, Romania, and Greece. Each Hub brings together universities and civil society organizations to co-create inclusive, community-driven solutions for today’s social challenges.
Combining experiential learning, creative methods, and participatory research, from mini-publics and service learning to graphic data storytelling, CivicLAB develops a replicable model for civic engagement that empowers people to actively shape their communities.
A key innovation of the project is the Civic Animator, a new civic leadership role designed to inspire collaboration, democratic innovation, and long-term community action. CivicLAB particularly supports youth, students, marginalized communities, civil society organizations, and local authorities, fostering inclusive participation, countering disinformation, and strengthening democratic resilience across Europe.