IDEAS coLABORATORY 4.0: UB students bring science closer to citizens

Between October 22–27, 2025, the University of Bucharest organized the fourth edition of the IDEAS coLABORATORY project, an initiative that brings together undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students from all 20 UB faculties for an exercise in collaboration, creativity, and research.

As in previous years, the event took place at the University’s Zoological Research Station in Sinaia, where young people passionate about research, communication, and innovation met to turn their ideas into projects with real-world impact. Alongside the UB students, master’s and doctoral participants was a team from the SCIPublicForum Association, coordinated by Ada Roseti, a specialist in science communication.

This year’s edition focused on the theme Citizen Science – Science with the People. Participants were challenged to explore how research can become more accessible, transparent, and relevant through active community involvement.

For five days, the teams, guided by Ada Roseti, worked on developing and refining concrete project ideas, while exploring how to build a genuine dialogue between the scientific community and society.

“Citizen Science is not just a research tool – it’s also a way to communicate science. It’s science with and for people – a blend of attention, intention, and motivation,” emphasized Ada Roseti.

From idea to project at IDEAS coLABORATORY

The program combined working and feedback sessions with hikes, informal discussions, and team activities designed to foster collaboration and the exchange of ideas. UB students at all levels explored ways to engage the public in research, tested prototypes, and developed proposals for Citizen Science initiatives to be implemented within – and supported by – the University of Bucharest.

The edition concluded with the presentation of final projects, which were evaluated by a panel of UB specialists.

The award for the best idea went to Team ALZaware, whose project proposes a direct connection between the scientific community and the families of people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Through a digital platform, users can anonymously document the progression of the disease and its emotional impact, providing researchers with valuable data while offering families a space for support and understanding. The project thus bridges the medical and human dimensions of the illness, serving both caregivers and specialists.

This year’s IDEAS coLABORATORY once again proved that science truly comes to life when it moves beyond the laboratory and into the community.

And the rankings confirm it: according to the latest World University Rankings by Times Higher Education (THE), published on October 9, 2025, the University of Bucharest is the top university in Romania for research performance. Moreover, in the first-ever Times Higher Education – Interdisciplinary Science Rankings 2025, UB also ranks first in Romania for interdisciplinary scientific research.At the international level, the Times Higher Education ranking – produced in partnership with Schmidt Science Fellows – places the University of Bucharest in the 301–350 range worldwide.