The universities’ role in developing citizen science discourse

The article, aimed at mapping ways to enhance the systemic character and sustainability of citizen science, analyses the state of its discourse in the Russian context. The analysis, relying upon the multiple actor interdisciplinary paradigm within the framework of rational agency, applied comparative and analytical methods. The research concentrated on identifying common invariant features in the processes of initiating and developing citizen science projects, as well as on distinguishing core unresolved issues. The article points out the relevance of citizen science, viewing the latter as a reflection of changes in the relationships and activities undertaken by people, communities and society at large, diverse actors getting more and more involved in these activities, with their functionality and impact on social processes being expanded. The research can be considered brandly new, because it defines the role of citizen science as a new synergetic paradigm for the development of science and higher education in Russia, and as an important communication-and-cooperation channel between higher education and society at large. In particular, it is revealed that at the macrolevel, citizen science projects contribute to the democratization of both scientific research and society as a whole by invoking actors from various social spheres and subsystems, as well as by strengthening citizens’ confidence in the state. At the microlevel, the projects contribute to the universities’ educational and social mission, expand and diversify the interaction of HEIs with society, and foster new research questions formulation. The practical use of the research is viewed as a possible integration of our conclusions in the further practice-oriented investigations, in forming citizen science backgrounds, competences, and methodological base. Of no less importance are the materials for the training programmes modernization in the field of science and higher education administration.