Objectif Sciences International

Training for responsibility through Participatory Science: the educational approach of Objectif Sciences International

Thomas EGLI — 2026-07-06T09:14:01Z

A major educational question

As the 2026 high season for the scientific travel programs of the NGO Objectif Sciences International is in full swing, this is an opportunity to acknowledge the incredible work carried out every day by the teams in the field, the result of preparation renewed each year.

And thus to say THANK YOU to the entire team, everywhere in the world.

One of the major challenges of contemporary education lies in a simple but demanding question: how can we train people who are capable of taking action without trapping them in guilt, dependence, or heroic illusion?

On the one hand, ecological, social, health, climate, and democratic crises show that collective systems profoundly shape human situations. Individuals do not choose alone the conditions in which they grow up, learn, work, live, or imagine their future.

On the other hand, reducing every difficulty to an external system can also produce powerlessness. If everything is structure, if everything is collective, if everything is elsewhere, where does the ability to act begin? Where does personal responsibility begin? Where does concrete transformation begin?

Since 1992, the educational approach of Objectif Sciences International has been positioned precisely at this point: neither naive individualism nor abstract collectivism. It is based on a demanding articulation between the person, the group, the project, society, and the living world.

From this perspective, responsibility is not a moral weight placed on the shoulders of the child, young person, or adult. It is a skill that is built. It is the ability to position oneself within a system, to understand what exceeds us, to identify what we contribute to, to act where we have leverage, and to cooperate with others to transform what cannot be transformed alone.

The Educational Charter of Objectif Sciences International gives this approach a concrete framework: participatory research Participatory Research see : http://www.voyages-scientifiques.com , cooperation, quality, ecology, sustainable development, autonomy, empowerment, scientific rigor, non-violent education, respect for the living world, and training through practice.

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An epistemology of responsibility

Responsibility can be understood in several ways.

It can be reduced to fault: “Who is responsible?” then means “Who should be punished?” This conception produces fear, withdrawal, or defensiveness.

It can be diluted into the collective: “It's not me, it's the system.” This conception may be fair when it analyzes real power relations, but it becomes insufficient if it prevents each person from recognizing their own share of action.

Finally, it can be understood as a capacity: the capacity to respond, the capacity to discern, the capacity to contribute, the capacity to transform.

It is this third path that best represents OSI's Educational Charter.

Responsibility is not separated from knowledge. To be responsible, one must learn to see. To act rightly, one must learn to understand. To transform, one must learn to distinguish what belongs to oneself, what belongs to the group, what belongs to the environment, what belongs to the system, and what requires broader cooperation.

It is an epistemological approach because it concerns the way we construct our relationship with reality.

A participant learns that their impression is not yet data. That their intuition can become a hypothesis. That their hypothesis must be tested. That the result may contradict them. That contradiction is not humiliation, but an opportunity to move forward. That knowledge is not an opinion stronger than others, but a process.

This inner discipline is the foundation of solid responsibility. It avoids the arrogance of the savior, who believes they know for others. It also avoids the passivity of the person who waits for the collective to decide in their place. It teaches one to say: here is what I observe, here is what I understand, here is what I do not yet know, here is what I can test, here is what I can do with others.

Participatory research Participatory Research see : http://www.voyages-scientifiques.com : learning to act in the real world

Objectif Sciences International has made a structuring choice: to conduct real scientific research projects, carried out by non-scientist participants, enabling research training through research, in the form of stays and trips (holidays, school trips, expeditions, family weekends, etc.).

This means that participants are not merely exposed to scientific content. They are connected to their lived experience, to a living process.

Depending on the stays, ages, levels, and programs, they may take part in naturalist observations, biodiversity monitoring, water sampling, robotics projects, research in paleontology, astronomy, geology, ecology, appropriate technologies, species monitoring, the marine environment, or other fields.

This participation changes everything.

The child or teenager is not simply “kept busy.” They contribute. They do not consume an activity. They take part in an investigation. They do not mechanically repeat a lesson. They discover that the world can be questioned methodically.

Participatory research Participatory Research see : http://www.voyages-scientifiques.com then becomes a school of responsibility, because it requires taking care of the quality of what one does.

Poorly collected data may lose its value. An undocumented observation may become unusable. A poorly followed protocol may prevent comparison. Poorly stored equipment may hinder the next group. A conclusion reached too quickly may mislead.

Scientific rigor thus becomes educational rigor.

It teaches that our actions have consequences. Not in a guilt-inducing logic, but in a logic of contribution. What I do matters. What I neglect also matters. My precision, my patience, my attention, my intellectual honesty, and my ability to acknowledge an error contribute to the quality of the shared project.

Train more in order to control less

One of the most powerful principles of OSI's Educational Charter is formulated as follows: train more in order to control less.

This principle reverses a very widespread logic.

In many educational settings, when fear increases, control increases. There is more supervision. Margins of freedom are reduced. Prohibitions multiply. Mistakes are prevented by preventing initiatives.

OSI proposes another logic: the more participants are trained, the more they can be involved in managing the stay, the project, the group, and the place. Autonomy is not given all at once. It is built, supported, secured, and made possible by a framework.

In the field, this translates into precise pedagogical choices: co-constructed rules of life, daily forums, progressive management of free time, participation in meal organization, room maintenance, cooperative evening activities, presentations by young people, and individual and collective self-assessment.

These gestures may seem ordinary. Yet they are decisive.

Making one's bed, putting away one's equipment, helping clear the table, preparing an outing, checking one's bag, respecting a natural site, listening to another participant, speaking in a forum, contributing to a presentation: these are all micro-experiences of responsibility.

Education for autonomy does not begin with grand speeches. It begins in the repetition of concrete gestures that build confidence in one's own ability to act.

Cooperation as educational infrastructure

Individual responsibility cannot be separated from cooperation.

A person can learn to act alone. But they cannot learn to transform the world sustainably without learning to cooperate.

OSI's Educational Charter places cooperation at the heart of its approach. It situates it within popular education, education for all, and the diversity of languages, cultures, origins, profiles, and abilities.

Cooperation is not merely a pleasant atmosphere. It is educational infrastructure.

It requires tools: forums, brainstorming, co-design of programs, conflict mediation, non-violent education, organization of roles, reviews, and evaluations. It requires a culture: tolerance, a sense of service, mutual aid, listening, complementarity of profiles, and constructive antagonisms. It also requires a purpose: enabling each person to become more capable.

This cooperation is particularly important in Participatory Science.

No field research depends solely on one individual. Observations must be distributed, perspectives crossed, documentation produced, comparisons made, rereading carried out, discussions held, hypotheses confronted, errors integrated, and results shared.

Participants thus discover that the collective is not an abstraction. It is a reality made up of behaviors, decisions, words, silences, efforts, misunderstandings, adjustments, and contributions.

Transforming the collective therefore requires transforming the way each person takes part in it.

Quality: taking care of the project, the group, and oneself

In OSI's Educational Charter, quality is not limited to scientific quality. It concerns the entire experience.

Quality means the rigor of the scientific project. But it also means quality of life, health, food, sleep, free time, the relationship with the group, the capacity for discernment, respect for rhythms, training of supervisors, and annual evaluation of practices.

This point is essential because it links responsibility to care.

Being responsible does not only mean producing more. It does not mean exhausting oneself to prove one's worth. It does not mean sacrificing oneself for a project. It means learning to contribute sustainably.

Care for oneself, the group, and the project are connected.

A participant who is tired, poorly fed, isolated, or stressed does not learn in the same way. A group without clear rules does not cooperate sustainably. A project without methodological quality does not produce reliable knowledge. Ecology without daily attention becomes a disconnected discourse.

OSI therefore articulates responsibility with health, balance, quality of life, and progression. It is embodied responsibility, not abstract responsibility.

Ecology and sustainable development: moving beyond educational anthropocentrism

OSI's Educational Charter explicitly links science to ecology, sustainable development (or even sustainable evolution), peace education, and the rights of nature.

This perspective gives a particular depth to education for responsibility.

It is not simply a matter of learning to “protect nature,” as if humans were outside the living world. It is about learning to position oneself differently within the ecosystemic circle.

Humans are not the center of an anthropocentric system. They are stakeholders. Their actions, needs, tools, waste, consumption, knowledge, and ignorance have effects.

OSI stays make this tangible.

Respect for a bivouac site, attention paid to an animal, understanding of a habitat, the value given to each object, the fight against waste, the choice of food that is at once good, ecological, balanced, and suited to the activities: all of this forms a lived ecology.

Environmental education then becomes more than awareness-raising. It becomes a way of perceiving, inhabiting, and acting.

The notion of “Being Nature,” present in OSI's pedagogical projects, expresses this ambition: learning to make peace with nature, to recognize the intrinsic value of the non-human, and to integrate points of view other than the human point of view alone into scientific and technical issues.

Not creating saviors: training contributors

A major contemporary challenge is to avoid placing an impossible mission on the shoulders of young people: saving the world.

The intention may seem noble, but it can produce anxiety, guilt, moral fatigue, or a heroic posture. The young person feels either crushed by the scale of the crises or invested with a disproportionate mission.

OSI's approach makes it possible to formulate something else.

It is not about creating saviors. It is about training competent, lucid, and cooperative contributors.

A contributor does not need to solve everything alone. They need to understand where they stand, what they can learn, what they can do, with whom they can act, how they can progress, and how their contribution fits into a broader chain.

This posture is healthier, but it is also more robust.

It teaches that sustainable commitment does not come from the illusion of omnipotence, but from the ability to hold one's place in a shared undertaking.

Not creating dependencies: training for the ability to act

The other educational risk is symmetrical: creating people who expect everything from the framework, the adult, the institution, or the activity.

In this case, the participant remains a consumer. They wait for others to organize for them, decide for them, solve things for them, and provide meaning for them.

OSI's Educational Charter seeks, on the contrary, to gradually move participants from “receiving an activity” to “taking part in an action.”

This progression is visible in the formula: leaving behind “providing an activity” in order to move toward “letting do,” through “having them do” and “doing with.”

It is a pedagogy of transition.

At the beginning, the adult (and, for trips with adult participants, the supervisor) secures, explains, demonstrates, and supports. Then they do things with the participant. Then they have the participant do them. Then they let the participant do more as they become capable. This autonomy remains framed, but it becomes real.

The purpose is clear: to support people toward the capacity to become actors in their own lives.

Summer as a privileged moment of transformation

Summer scientific stays and trips offer a particularly favorable framework for this transformation.

Time is different there. Participants step out of their routines. They discover a place, a group, a rhythm, and a mission. They share meals, observations, efforts, evening activities, successes, and unexpected events. They experience a rare relational and experiential density.

This intensity enables learning that school, family, or weekly activities cannot always offer in the same way.

A child may discover that they are capable of speaking up. A teenager may discover that they enjoy the rigor of a protocol. Another may understand that they have a valuable role in a group. A female participant may feel legitimate in science. A young person may experience surpassing themselves. An adult may rediscover their capacity to learn, to marvel, and to contribute.

These transformations cannot be decreed. They emerge from well-designed situations.

This is the whole purpose of an educational charter: to ensure that the experience is not only enjoyable or spectacular, but truly formative.

An education to help reality progress

Objectif Sciences International upholds a demanding conception of science education.

It does not separate science from everyday life. It does not separate knowledge from responsibility. It does not separate autonomy from cooperation. It does not separate ecology from relational quality. It does not separate the individual project from the collective project.

Training for research through research means training people who are capable of questioning the world with rigor.

Training for cooperation through cooperation means training people who are capable of acting with others.

Training for responsibility through the concrete exercise of responsibilities means training people who are capable of recognizing their share without denying what exceeds them.

This is perhaps one of the most valuable contributions of OSI's scientific stays and trips: showing that holidays for children, teenagers, and adults, as well as school trips, can be spaces of wonder, adventure, and joy, while becoming a true school of autonomy, discernment, cooperation, and commitment.

A more sustainable world will be built neither with isolated saviors nor with dependent spectators.

It will be built with people capable of understanding, acting, cooperating, transforming themselves, and transforming with others the systems in which they participate.

This is the capacity that Objectif Sciences International's scientific stays cultivate, summer after summer, in the field.

Publication: Participatory Science for Ecological Transition

Thomas EGLI — 2026-05-16T15:11:09Z

A new article has just been published on the Training for Development website: Participatory Science for Ecological Transition.

It presents, in a comprehensive and educational way, how participatory science can become a concrete lever for supporting, generating, and accelerating ecological transitions. The article shows that citizen participation is not limited to awareness-raising or the collection of observations: it can enable participants to become data creators, co-producers of knowledge, actors in decisions, and initiators of local actions.

Drawing on concrete examples, educational situations, field projects, and collective exercises, the article explains how to move from simple ecological awareness to approaches capable of acting on the root causes of problems: biodiversity, water, climate, chemical pollution, heat islands, soils, oceans, and public policies.

It also proposes an operational method for designing participatory science projects with impact, by articulating scientific rigor, pedagogy, real participation, safety, accessibility, territorial grounding, and ecological transformation.

“Participatory science is not only a way to make people like science or raise ecological awareness. It can become a method for transforming territories.”

A reference article for all those who wish to understand how to connect science, citizenship, learning through action, and ecological transition :
www.training-for-development.com/Participatory-Science-for-Ecological-Transition?lang=en

Pré-Camps Général des groupes OSI France, Suisse et Explorations, mai 2026

Anne-Lise CABANAT, Emmanuel GENITONI, Laetitia GENITONI — 2026-05-13T12:09:13Z

Ces 5 jours de Pré-camps ont pour objectif de rencontrer nos acolytes pour les semaines d'actions à venir, de préparer les activités scientifiques de nos séjours en équipe et d'avoir beaucoup de fun !!

Retrouvez l' album photo du Pré-Camp ici, on compte sur vous pour VOTER les meilleurs images qui serviront à nos supports de communication

Mercredi 13 Mai

Les participants sont arrivés au compte goutte au centre de Musiflore, se sont installés et ont découvert les lieux pour ceux dont c'était leur première fois.
Lien vers le lieu où nous sommes

Nous avons mangés un buffet froid, puis nous avons fait des jeux pour apprendre à se connaitre et nous avons fini la journée par un rappel des règles de vie.

Retrouvez ici les divers ateliers qui sont au programme du week-end !
https://www.osi-ngo.org/IMG/jpg/whatsapp_image_2026-05-14_at_13.18_48.jpg?8510/f71ee7ce06649f0616dc17d99b8752eca6f13e84

Jeudi 14 mai

En cette belle matinée, le groupe du précamps s'est réunit autour du premier petit déjeuner la tête pleine d'attentes.
Les hostilités commencèrent avec un forum tonitruant orchestré par l'incroyable équipe d'OSI !!!
La quête de l'ours fût ~~fructueuse~~ Ayant pourtant bravé murs, arbre, lac et caverne, le groupe s'est carapaté face à l'imposante créature " title=":->" class="no_image_filtrer format_png" src="https://osi-ngo.org/plugins/auto/couteau_suisse/v1.12.5/img/smileys/diable.png" width="19" height="19"/>
Après cette petite mise en jambe, nous avons attaqué l'atelier de communication.
A l'aide de kappla, mikado, légo, cailloux et beaucoup d'imaginations, les constructions ont été réalisé avec notre copain brio.

Un bon repas vint récompenser le groupe de ses efforts de communication

salade

lasagne végé

fromage & glaces

En début d'après-midi nous avons commenté des scènes illustrant des problèmes de réglementation en séjours ACM, pour apprendre sur le sujet de façon ludique.

Nous sommes ensuite partis en conception scientifique par programme.

Vendredi aprem :
Arnaud et Tristan à la rédaction
Nous avons fait 2 ateliers :

le premier des scenettes et partages d'anecdotes autour de situations problématiques rencontrées par le passé dans des séjours OSI.
le second était la préparation de notre programme scientifique. Nous avons pu nous exercer au pilotage de drone en extérieur, sous le regard attentif du chien du voisin !

L'appétit venant, nous avons préparé une affiche de notre projet, pour la présentation de ce soir.

Après le repas, chacun est parti vaquer à ses occupations. Plusieurs ateliers du midi ont été proposés à la volée mais j'ai préféré, comme beaucoup, me balader en nature et profiter du soleil qui pointait le bout de son nez après les épisodes orageux de la veille. L'ambiance forestière du site était revigorante ! (Photo des orchidées à l'appui)
Ensuite, un atelier sur les postures des éducateurs s'est déroulé dans l'amphi, à base de scénettes (toutes vécues dans la réalité!!). On a pu tous débriefer à chaque fois pour faire émerger les idées. L'atelier scientifique s'est enchaîné.

Samedi :
Après un forum enrichissant, le groupe s'est scindé en équipes pédagogiques : Expéditions, Provence et Chandolin (Suisse). Ce temps a été réservé a la prévision des temps informels, après la conception en équipe les jours précédents.

Après un protocole oiseau en petite équipe Biodiversita avant même un petit café, tout le monde s'est retrouvé pour le forum dans la prairie de Musiflore.
Au menu, un petit éveil corporel puis la découverte d'un outil pour faire émerger émotions et besoins associés.

À midi pile, nous nous sommes réunis pour faire la photo de groupe !
Nos t-shirts ont été distribués
Ensuite nous avons fait l'atelier du midi qui consistait à observer le Soleil au télescope en toute sécurité, ou avec des lunettes spéciales éclipse.

Impact Participatory Research

Thomas EGLI — 2026-04-30T14:37:15Z

INTERACTIVE WEBINAR

Developing Participatory Research with Impact:
Tools and a practical roadmap: create jobs and sustain your projects over time.

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International webinar organized in French - Spanish - English.

Wednesday, May 27, 2026
FREE
(see below for times according to your city)

Following the Ongoing Call for Proposals “Creation of a Participatory Research Project”, this international webinar offers a very concrete presentation–debate to help all stakeholders design, structure, and accelerate Participatory Research with Impact.
Drawing on the monograph of the projects and a practical roadmap, the session will highlight the levers for strengthening results, funding implementation, developing audiences, and creating sustainable jobs. Interactive and multilingual (French, Spanish, English), the webinar will allow everyone to ask their questions and leave with solutions that can be activated immediately.

Receive the link to the webinar

Co-organized by:

Geneva Forum × Objectif Sciences International × Terra Scientifica × Step & Go

Presentation–debate:

Methods and tools,
Intended for all stakeholders who want to start, structure, or accelerate a participatory research approach,
Building results (jobs, audiences, operations, research progress...)
By securing the continuity of projects over time.

The concrete and useful format of the session will enable all stakeholders present to get to know one another across the planet and introduce themselves to each other:

Agenda:

Opening and welcome
Monograph of the projects represented and mutual presentations (bringing together all projects resulting from the Ongoing Call for Proposals “Creation of a Participatory Research Project”.
Major strengths, structuring challenges, and possible acceleration levers depending on the projects
- methods,
- implementation formats,
- funding pathways,
- partnerships,
- dissemination,
- scaling up

The goal is for each participant to be able to position themselves, compare themselves, and leave with solutions that can be concretely activated immediately within the context of their situation and projects.

This is a rare and valuable opportunity: not only will many solutions be proposed, but the session will be highly interactive, with the possibility to ask all your questions and obtain directly actionable answers and guidance. Exchanges will be open to contributions in the language of your choice.

Languages: Français • Español • English (interactive webinar provided in all 3 languages)
Date: Wednesday, May 27, 2026
Duration: 3 hours

Geneva–Paris time: from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
New York time: from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (EDT).
Santiago, Chile time: from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (CLT).
Nairobi time: from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (EAT).
Cairo time: from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (EEST).
Bangkok time: from 9:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. (the next day) (ICT).
Tokyo time: from 11:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. (the next day) (JST).
Tahiti time: from 4:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. (TAHT).

Register: if you want to benefit from concrete solutions, it is essential to attend.

To go further

This webinar is preparing, in particular, two structuring events.

The Step One Participatory Science Hackathon, which will take place in August 2026 in Spain on the occasion of the total solar eclipse: https://www.training-for-development.com/In-August-Participatory-Science-Hackathon-ECLIPSE-Science-Climate-and-Humanity?lang=en
The Annual International Conference on Citizen Science and Fab Labs for Peace and Development, which will take place in December 2026 at the UN as part of the Geneva Forum: https://geneva-forum.com/Citizen-and-Participatory-Science.html (2026 dates: Wednesday, December 9, as part of the Geneva Forum 2026 from December 7 to 11, 2026)

Filling out a logical framework in 45 minutes: the free manual offered with the Geneva Forum

Thomas EGLI — 2026-04-11T09:54:55Z

Has a contact person, a donor, a funder, or a partner asked you to fill out your project's logical framework? Objectif Sciences International gives you free access, in partnership with the Geneva Forum, to a simple and powerful manual to help you define your project and complete this document in just 45 minutes.

It often happens that a project leader, an association, an NGO, a mission-driven organization, or even an institutional actor is asked to fill out a logical framework.

For many, this document seems long, technical, abstract, or reserved for specialists. Yet, when used properly, it can instead become a very useful tool for clarifying a project, making it understandable, managing it better, and communicating better with partners, funders, or support providers.

That is precisely why Objectif Sciences International is sharing with its more than 3,000 user accounts a free resource offered in partnership with the Geneva Forum.

This resource gives you access to a self-training manual and a simple method for filling out a logical framework in just 45 minutes.

The goal is not to trap you in yet another administrative exercise.

The goal is to help you:

better understand the logic of your project;
distinguish its Why, its What / Who, and its How;
turn an idea that is still vague into a clearer project;
produce a document that can be used with a contact person, a support provider, a donor, or a funder;
move more easily toward a stronger project outline.

This method was designed to be useful at different levels:

individual project;
association project;
NGO action;
impact-driven economic activity;
collective program;
public scheme;
large-scale project.

In other words, whenever a contact person asks you for a logical framework, you can rely on this method to save time, better structure your thinking, and make your project easier to understand.

The manual offered by the Geneva Forum was designed to focus on the essentials, with a simple, quick, and practical progression.

In 45 minutes, it helps you:

define your project;
identify its objectives;
clarify the expected results;
specify the activities and resources;
build a first coherent working basis.

If you are concerned by this request, you can access this resource for free here:

Access the free manual for filling out a logical framework in 45 minutes

Whether you are launching an initiative, structuring an existing action, responding to a donor's request, or preparing for an exchange with a partner, this resource can save you valuable time.

If you are asked for a logical framework, do not stay stuck. Rely on a simple, free, and proven method, and move more quickly toward a better-defined project.

Devenez mentore des Swiss TecLadies 2026-27 !

Isabelle MILHOMME — 2026-03-08T10:13:31Z

La SATW est partenaire d'OSI pour l'organisation d'un séjour de vacances scientifiques Vacances Scientifiques La vulgarisation scientifiqueest au cœur de notre projet. En effet, c'est un moyen ludique et citoyen de compléter des travaux scientifiques.

Lors des différentes missions, nous regroupons les données que nous avons récoltées et les partageons avec le monde de la recherche. Cela permet à tous ceux qui sont intéressés par la recherche scientifique, sans pour autant avoir une implication directe dans la recherche, de s'informer des dernières avancées
Ainsi, les jeunes, les étudiants et les amateurs peuvent enrichir la science par la pratique.
Mais ils peuvent également s'approprier des textes scientifiques grâces aux partages d'articles sur des plateformes citoyennes, notamment les réseaux sociaux.
Votre action contribue donc à l'avancée de la science !

L'exercice de vulgarisation scientifique prend différentes formes. Il peut s'agir de l'observation de différentes espèces animales : oiseaux, insectes, reptiles et mammifères, afin de les répertorier. Cela peut également s'appliquer à la biodiversité marine. La vulgarisation peut également être appliquée à la géologie grâce au développement des technologies satellites qui se sont démocratisées grâce à l'essor du drone (géo-référencement), et même dans le domaine de l'astronomie par la cartographie du ciel (détection d'exoplanètes et d'objets géocroiseurs). Mais la liste ne s'arrête pas là : grâce à des sondes et des vidéoprojecteurs vous pourrez percer le secret de la fabrique de cristaux et donc de l'assemblage de la matière, vous pourrez dater pierres et ruines archéologiques, et apprendre les propriétés des matériaux ancestraux, tout comme dater et reconnaître les fossiles de dinosaures qui jonchent le sol et même réaliser des moulages.
Les possibilités sont nombreuses et ne demandent qu'à être saisies.

L'expérimentation des nouvelles technologies de collecte scientifique fait partie intégrante de nos séjours. L'utilisation de la photographie numérique, des Spectrophotomètres, ainsi que de microscopes et de drones font partie du matériel que nous mettons à disposition dans nos colonies de vacances.
Les séjours que nous proposons sont aussi variés que les outils scientifiques à notre portée : observation de l'éclipse totale aux Etats-Unis en 2017, suivi des cétacés à Tahiti, ou encore découverte de la somptueuse panthère des neiges au Kirghizstan sont au programme.

Pour plus de renseignements sur les séjours que nous proposons, rendez-vous sur notre page web : http://www.vacances-scientifiques.com/-Liste-des-Sejours-.html. dédiées aux jeunes femmes.
Les éducatrices scientifiques avec OSI sont invitées à répondre à l'appel à candidature du programme de mentorat Swiss TecLadies !

Swiss TecLadies est une initiative nationale de l'Académie suisse des sciences techniques (SATW) qui encourage les jeunes femmes âgées de 14 à 19 ans à explorer les sciences et les technologies grâce à des ateliers pratiques, des visites d'entreprises et un accompagnement personnalisé par des mentores expérimentées.
Le programme se déroule dans toute la Suisse, de septembre 2026 à avril 2027.

Les candidatures sont ouvertes jusqu'au 31 mars 2026 via le formulaire en ligne.

Plus d'information sur le site internet de Swiss TecLadies.

https://www.tecladies.ch/fr/mentorat/a-propos-du-mentorat.

Training-Hackathon Participatory Science this March 6-7-8, 2026 – 20 years of OSI St1 Hackathons

Thomas EGLI — 2026-02-27T18:12:41Z

Let's invent together the scientific journeys of tomorrow!

In March 2026, the Participatory Science Hackathon for Scientific Travel celebrates its 20^th anniversary.

Since February 2005, the Training-Hackathons led by the network Objectif Sciences International have enabled hundreds of participants – students, researchers, educators, entrepreneurs, engineers, NGO members – to design concrete projects combining science, world exploration, and societal impact.

All members of the Objectif Sciences International network who wish to take part in this anniversary edition are welcome.

Registration is open here:
https://www.training-for-development.com/March-in-Paris-Hackathon-Participatory-Science-for-Scientific-Travel?lang=en

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In March in Paris – from March 6 to 8, 2026

A 3-day immersive Hackathon (with accommodation), special Animation & Teaching.

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Why participate?

During 3 days or one intense and inspiring week:

Imagine an innovative solution
Build your project from A to Z
Respond to challenges launched by major stakeholders
Benefit from expert mentoring
Present your project during a final pitch

This Hackathon is hands-on training:
you develop your skills while truly bringing your ideas to life.

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Participatory Science & Scientific Travel

The objective: to design scientific travel experiences that:

combine exploration, data collection, and knowledge production,
contribute to planetary resilience,
promote smarter, more sustainable and environmentally respectful tourism,
make research accessible to as many people as possible.

Astronomy, geology, biodiversity, climatology, anthropology, environmental law, ecological engineering, technological innovation, sustainable economics, education…

All disciplines can contribute.

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For whom?

This Hackathon is open to:

Students and young professionals
Researchers and teachers
Engineers and innovators
NGO members
Public decision-makers
Entrepreneurs
Field practitioners
Residents of the City of Paris and beyond

Whether you are an active member of the OSI network or wish to become more involved, your contribution is welcome.

Number of participants: 20 to 40 people

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Dates & Locations

Animation + Teaching Session
From Thursday evening, March 5, 2026 to Sunday, March 8, 2026 – 5:00 PM
With accommodation at Gîte La Donaclaudre (Seine-et-Marne)

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What you will gain

Project design and scaling
Interdisciplinary teamwork
Complex problem-solving
Strategic networking
Creativity & innovation
Communication & pitching
Knowledge in participatory research Participatory Research see : http://www.voyages-scientifiques.com
Official certificate of participation

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After the Hackathon

You will be able to:

Deploy your project within the framework of Objectif Sciences International activities
Develop your own activity
Contribute to impact-driven projects at national and international levels
Propose your projects to UNESCO member countries within the framework of climate, ecological, and social objectives

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Registration

Members and friends of the Objectif Sciences International network are invited to register now:

https://www.training-for-development.com/March-in-Paris-Hackathon-Participatory-Science-for-Scientific-Travel?lang=en

Provide your email address to receive detailed information (fees, conditions, registration form).

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20 years of innovation, cooperation, and Participatory Science

March 2026 will be a special edition.

Join us in Paris to write the next decade of Scientific Travel.

OSI x UNEP Working for People and the Planet

Isabelle MILHOMME — 2026-02-02T14:22:02Z

WEBINAR ON CAREER OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME

Objectif Sciences International (OSI), launched in 1992, has held Special Consultative Status with the UN (ECOSOC) since 1992 and has been a Major Stakeholder of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) since 2025. As such, the Programme is inviting us to attend this webinar aimed at understanding career opportunities within UNEP.

The United Nations Environment Programme actively engages Major Stakeholders and other participants, including OSI as a Civil Society Organization, for their expertise, advocacy, and support. Their involvement in environmental policies and assessments enhances the legitimacy, public ownership, and effectiveness of actions for sustainable development. (read here: https://sbe22delft.com/major-groups-stakeholders.html)

UNEP is organizing a series of events showcasing projects carried out within the Organization. These sessions present career opportunities at UNEP and highlight the programmes the teams are working on to address the crises of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, land degradation, and chemical and waste pollution.

You are warmly invited to take part in the event and to discover initiatives related to biodiversity and the marine environment.

Date: February 4, 2026
Time: 6:00 PM (Nairobi Time)
Format: Online (Zoom)
Registration link:
https://un-org-unep.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_1fkEFb7ISsyZGJjn-ShaIw#/registration

Importance of Participatory Science in 3 Panels of the 3rd United Nations Conference in Nice in June 2025

Thomas EGLI — 2025-10-06T14:18:00Z

Sommaire

On the occasion of the 3^rd edition of the UNOC Conference, the city of Nice hosted actors from all over the world for a conference “focused on action.”
This event was the perfect opportunity to highlight participatory science and its contributions to sustainable development (SDG14) and the protection of the marine environment.

Three major agreements emerged from this conference. Objectif Sciences International welcomes these decisions, which will help strengthen participatory science projects.

The Agreement on Plastic Pollution

First, OSI welcomed the announcement of an agreement aspiring to adopt a global objective to reduce the production and consumption of primary plastic polymers to sustainable levels.
This commitment was to be confirmed during negotiations held at the UN in Geneva from August 5 to 14, 2025, where OSI was present to bring forward the voice of participatory science.

However, the discussions of this “INC-5.2” session did not reach a consensus. States were divided on major issues such as limiting plastic production, including certain chemicals of concern, and financing arrangements.
The proposed text was ultimately deemed insufficient by several delegations, and no binding treaty could be adopted in Geneva. The negotiations therefore ended in a deadlock, with the only outcome being a “reflection note” prepared by the co-chairs to guide the next steps.

At this stage, the hoped-for global agreement has therefore not been formally confirmed. Negotiations will have to continue, and OSI will keep emphasizing the essential contribution of participatory science to document plastic pollution and mobilize civil society in support of a truly ambitious future treaty.

Enjeu: reducing plastic consumption
Participatory science, in addition to contributing to research, also has an educational and awareness-raising dimension aimed at civil society.
Multiplying participatory science initiatives over the long term can help raise public awareness, which in turn could support the objectives of reducing plastic consumption envisioned in this agreement.

Enjeu: reducing plastic production
Participatory Science also has an important role to play in reducing plastic production. Faced with the need to reduce plastic, research and participatory science could help identify alternative materials that are more environmentally respectful and less harmful (with minimal deleterious effects on ecosystems).

Governance of International Waters

This 3^rd edition of the United Nations Ocean Conference also enabled the acceleration of the entry into force of the High Seas Treaty or BBNJ (Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction).
Signed on 20/06/2023, this treaty aims to combat the exploitation of the deep seabed and provide means to encourage scientific expeditions and initiatives.

This treaty is particularly important in the framework of UNOC and the pursuit of SDG14 because it should establish large-scale marine protected areas in the high seas, preventing the risk of these zones being appropriated by national powers.
These zones are extremely important in the fight against climate change and for marine biodiversity. This is why it is essential to counter national egoisms.

Olivier Poivre d'Arvor noted that “this is also a great victory for science.” Indeed, it contributes at the same time to strengthening participatory science by facilitating access for seafarers, fishers, navigators, divers, NGOs, citizens, and collaborative expeditions, thereby facilitating contributions to scientific research.

Regulation of Fishing

Finally, one of the major decisions taken at this conference concerns fishing regulation and the intensification of the fight against illegal fishing, with the ratification of the WTO “Fish 1” agreement, which bans illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Participatory science can also contribute here to the pursuit of these commitments.
Collaborative science projects could help design methods and devices to avoid overfishing practices. Indeed, it is known today that “for 1 target fish caught, 5 are discarded at sea.”

Conclusion

Following these discussions, OSI (Objectif Sciences International) was present in Geneva in August, at the follow-up conference of UNOC, to continue the work undertaken.

The recognition of the role of participatory science through the agreements adopted at this 3^rd edition marks an important turning point.
It heralds the opening of new pathways toward inclusive, transparent, and locally rooted ocean governance.

In this sense, OSI intends to continue its action by promoting the deployment of concrete projects, such as hackathons ans science camps, to sustain this dynamic and make participatory science an essential lever for achieving SDG14 objectives and a key tool for ocean preservation and conservation.

Review of the Hackathon on Participatory Science for the Ocean

Thomas EGLI — 2025-10-02T12:47:13Z

Sommaire

Participatory science serving the Ocean

The NGO OSI (Objectif Science International) and the Université Côte d'Azur, within the framework of the 3^rd United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, co-organized a Hackathon dedicated to participatory science for the Ocean.

From June 3 to 12, participants from around the world with diverse and complementary profiles gathered to co-create innovative projects serving the oceans, with the prospect of an official presentation of their project at the end of these 10 days.

The “Action” dimension of this 3^rd edition of the UNOC held in Nice provided a particularly favorable framework for the integration and deepening of participatory science initiatives. It was an opportunity for our participants to expand their professional networks and develop partnerships to enable the realization of their project(s).

Hackathon Week Organization

The recognition of the Hackathon as an official UN off-site side event demonstrates the importance of participatory science in scientific research for sustainable development, here particularly in ocean preservation.

Throughout the week, participants organized themselves into interdisciplinary groups around co-constructed and innovative projects. They sought to bring their project(s) and participatory science to life through a series of diverse modules. For example, participants were able to attend modules on:

designing tailored engaging adventures and defining participant-centered projects
organizing a specific initiative within the framework of a long-term project
participatory science and ecological transition
funding high-impact projects
developing partnerships for greater impact projects

Through workshops and networking evenings, they were able to find partners who could support their project(s).

The projects that emerged from the Hackathon will now be presented to policymakers, economic actors, and civil society stakeholders so that each can consider these innovations and integrate them into their reflections. They will also be monitored so that they can be implemented and concretely contribute to ecological/maritime transition action.

Perspectives for Scientific Research

From this Hackathon week, several projects emerged that must now be followed in order to be implemented. Each represents the realization of participatory science serving science and the protection and conservation of the oceans. Six flagship projects emerged from this week of Participatory Science for the Ocean Hackathon:

The first project, MyEcoAct, is a geo-localized digital platform that connects citizens to nearby environmental and participatory science initiatives, aiming to transform eco-anxiety into concrete engagement through collective and territorial action.
The second project, EMPEHOS, uses participatory science by inviting citizens, especially boaters and vacationers, to contribute to microplastic research by collecting samples in the marine depths using innovative technology, in order to better understand and combat this invisible pollution.
The initiative C'EST ASSEZ ! is a scientific, educational, and artistic expedition to the Comoros, designed to raise awareness about marine pollution and its impact on cetaceans, blending observations, citizen engagement, and theatrical creation as a gateway to science and collective action.
Tourism & Cetaceans is a participatory research Participatory Research see : http://www.voyages-scientifiques.com project that aims to co-construct, with local stakeholders, a sustainable tourism management plan around cetaceans in Egypt, relying on science, education, and citizen engagement to preserve marine biodiversity.
Wheels for Ocean! is a cycling expedition from the mountains to the ocean, combining adventure and participatory science to raise awareness about the protection of natural environments by involving the public in environmental data collection.
Finally, The Plastics – From Waste to Value is a participatory and creative project that invites citizens to handle, analyze, and upcycle microplastics through a journey combining science, art, and education, making the invisible impact of this pollution visible and engaging everyone in concrete and collective action.
The project Experiencing interdependency presented an immersive approach at the heart of nature's cycles through a Scientific Stay Center project in Brazil, where the life of marine and estuarine fish, as well as local ancestral non-invasive fishing traditions, are experienced by participants in a scientific research project serving harmony with Nature.

Perspectives for the Academic and Research World

The contributions of participatory science concern not only scientific research but also the fields of education and responsible entrepreneurship. Moreover, the University has a direct interest in conducting research on participatory science, whether in humanities and social sciences campuses, educational sciences, or information sciences. Similarly, management sciences can advantageously use participatory science to bring academic benefits through practice.

In this respect, it can be said that the Hackathon and its impacts are inscribed in the long term.

Participatory science fosters research innovation and aims to support public decision-making, much like the discipline of “science and society.”

Participatory science is aligned with the issues of the humanities and social sciences (HSS), particularly inclusivity, by integrating a wide audience into the research process, enabling them to contribute to data collection and the construction of scientific knowledge.
As in the HSS, interdisciplinarity was also emphasized in the Hackathon. This Hackathon week, for example, brought together students from all disciplines: computer science, biology, management sciences, as well as scientists, university professors, and shamans…

The objective being to democratize knowledge production by actively involving all citizens and not restricting research to a small group. Finally, the Hackathon, through participatory science, like the HSS, believes in the complementarity of knowledge, methodologies, and ethics in striving toward greater social and environmental justice.

By proposing to solve problems and carry out impactful projects while ensuring economic viability and sustainability, the Participatory Science Hackathon fits into the traditions of management sciences.

UNOC Week Context

Bringing the voice of participatory science to the United Nations

Furthermore, the NGO OSI seized the opportunity of the United Nations Ocean Conference to bring the voice of participatory science to this major international event.

Through its Special Consultative Status with the UN ECOSOC, OSI concretely participated in the discussions held within the framework of the United Nations Ocean Conference.

This dialogue was further strengthened through a collective statement that enabled the establishment of a participatory position. This collaborative writing sought to emphasize the importance of gathering actors from all fields in the ocean transition. It also highlighted the importance of ocean education and the central role of citizen participation and participatory science.

The message of this collaborative Statement was carried to the United Nations. You can now find its content at the following link:
https://osi-ngo.org/actualites/actualites-generales/article/contribuez-a-la-redaction-participative-de-la-prise-de-position-de-l-ong

Institutional Presence of the Hackathon in the Blue Zone

At this major ocean diplomacy gathering, OSI was able to engage with government representatives and leaders to advance the cause of ocean preservation, notably by highlighting the essential contribution of participatory science.

Recognized for its expertise, the NGO OSI was invited as a stakeholder during the preparatory consultation phase of the United Nations Ocean Conference. By representing participatory science, it integrated two key panels of the 2025 edition of UNOC:

Panel 2: Increasing ocean-related scientific cooperation, knowledge, capacity building, marine technology, and education to strengthen the science-policy interface for ocean health
Panel 8: Promoting and supporting all forms of cooperation, especially at the regional and sub-regional level

You can find the content of these interventions at the following link:
https://osi-ngo.org/actualites/actualites-generales/article/ocean-2025-presence-et-actions-de-l-ong-objectif-sciences-international-dans-le

Strongly committed to sustainable development for many years, OSI was keen to be actively present alongside the Université Côte d'Azur in this third edition of the UNOC, whose central objective is to support the implementation of SDG 14: “Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.”

Particularly marked by a focus on concrete action, this 2025 edition resonated with the values of OSI and the Université Côte d'Azur. The main theme, “Accelerating action and mobilizing all actors for the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans,” underlines the crucial role that participatory science can play.

Participatory science constitutes a powerful lever to accelerate action: it facilitates the emergence of innovative solutions by bringing together diverse actors and encourages cross-sector partnerships capable of overcoming structural barriers.

Finally, by nature, participatory science aims to mobilize a wide diversity of stakeholders (scientists, researchers, public institutions, civil society actors), thereby strengthening inclusion, cooperation, and collective impact in ocean governance.

Presence in the Green Zone

To bring participatory science to life, the NGO OSI took full advantage of the exceptional UNOC context and the various events organized in the Green Zone to foster exchanges and enable participants to meet potential partners and funders willing to support their projects.

The NGO OSI was also present at the “Baleine” stand (Green Zone, Palais des expositions) at Atoll 3, where a large citizen fresco of participatory science for the Ocean had been installed. This open and participatory workshop aimed to generate innovations. The Great Citizen Fresco of Participatory Science for the Ocean is in line with the values of participatory science, by including all civil society actors to propose innovative ideas for ocean preservation.

The Hackathon was also present in the Green Zone through multiple interventions from OSI members and partners.
Participatory science was highlighted through presentations on scientific trips by Thomas Egli and Chloé Larose (on behalf of OSI) on Tuesday, June 3 (in the central Neptune Agora as well as in the Medusa room).
On Wednesday, June 4, Thomas Egli was present in the Manta Room to present the concept and applications of participatory science to the general public.

Finally, Plan Bleu, as a Hackathon partner, was also represented at the Baleine through the facilitation of an interactive workshop on coastal tourism in the face of climate change and also through a conference on Interreg Euro-MED contributions to the protection of the Mediterranean Sea: the case of the Natural Heritage mission and the Sustainable Tourism mission.

OOSC: One Ocean Science Congress (June 4–6)

The NGO OSI was also present at the One Ocean Science Congress, a special UNOC 3 event dedicated to scientific research in a perspective of marine protection, conservation, and sustainability. By bringing together actors from all fields, the goal of this event was to strengthen interactions between science and society, between action and policy, and to further involve civil society.

OSI contributed to shaping scientific research by bringing the benefits of participatory science to UNOC 3 for governors, states, and society to enable sustainable and resilient decisions and solutions for ocean conservation.

Our institutional presence within the Congress was materialized through two presentations delivered at this global scientific congress that preceded the UN Conference:

A first presentation on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, delivered by Chloé Larose, which focused on Participatory Ocean Research Formats: overview of field knowledge and scientific perspectives
A second on Thursday, June 5, 2025, entitled Global Initiative for Ocean Participatory Science: an innovative multi-partner project for ocean data collection and analysis through gamification and citizen participatory science, presented by Thomas Egli.

By highlighting participatory science at this scientific congress, our speakers invited the scientific community to envision a more inclusive and innovative society, and a science that allows for greater implementation and awareness of environmental challenges.

Ocean Rise and Coastal Resilience Summit / Coastal Cities Congress

The Hackathon and its partner organizations were also present at the Coastal Cities Congress, an event proposing collective organization for the sustainable adaptation of coastal cities and regions in the face of climate change risks. Our partners, Robin Degron on behalf of Plan Bleu UNEP Mediterranean and Jean Eric Aubert representing the International University of the Sea in Cagnes-sur-Mer (as a scientist and former member of international organizations such as OECD and IMF), accompanied us at this important event.

The Saturday, June 7 day, dedicated to the launch of the Coastal Cities Coalition, opened interesting prospects for the development of territorial dynamics around citizen participation, particularly towards youth.

It is conceivable to imagine an annual Hackathon dedicated to students, pupils, and teachers on the theme of Oceans. This event could become a lasting meeting point serving impact entrepreneurship.

Following the announcement of the Coastal Zones Coalition, the City of Nice announced its intention to build its operational secretariat. Moreover, the city expressed interest in repeating experiences such as this Hackathon.

These various elements, still under development, deserve particular attention, as they could ultimately help structure a dynamic local ecosystem around maritime transition.

BEFF Blue Economy Finance Forum in Monaco (June 8)

On June 8, the Blue Economy Finance Forum in Monaco was held, where Robin Degron for UNEP Plan Bleu, Frank Schweikert for the German Ocean Foundation, and Thomas Egli were present.

Thomas Egli presented the A.G.I.L.E tool of the Geneva Foundation for the Future, which was recognized as a “Top Initiative” by the Blue Economy and Finance Forum of Monaco. This recognition followed the presentation of the AGILE tool, an innovative solution dedicated to transforming impact finance.

This tool proposes a paradigm shift. It aims to redirect financial systems to support the regeneration of natural ecosystems rather than their degradation. It is no longer a matter of generating wealth through extraction or destruction, but through the restoration and sustainable valorization of life.

The AGILE tool addresses a major paradox: despite the abundance of capital in impact finance, many high-potential projects remain underfunded. To address this situation, AGILE is based on five evaluation pillars designed to harmonize analysis criteria, avoid fragmentation of frameworks, and establish a common language between investors, philanthropists, and project leaders.

For more information on this subject, you can find the project at the following link:
https://geneva-for-future.foundation/AGILE-A-tool-that-serves-as-an-operational-response-to-align-finance-and-impact.html?lang=fr

Conclusion

This 3^rd edition of the UNOC focused on action enabled the Hackathon to take root and highlight the importance of participatory science in support of sustainable development and the ecological transition serving the oceans.

In view of the creation of an Ocean COP expected to take place in autumn 2026 in New York, the Hackathon could become a structuring and permanent event, strengthening the link between civil society, research, and decision-makers.

It thus establishes itself as a strategic lever to bring out concrete, inclusive, and replicable solutions, as close as possible to coastal territories and communities.