On 8 December, the official kick-off of the ECCO research project took place at Erasmus University Rotterdam. The gathering brought together more than 30 academic and societal consortium representatives. The day concluded with a festive launch event in the Erasmus Pavilion.

ECCO (Empowering Citizen COllectives in societal transitions) is a multi-year research programme that investigates how citizen collectives can contribute more effectively to societal transitions (such as housing, climate, and energy) and how collaboration between governments and collectives can be strengthened. The project has received €6.8 million in funding from the Dutch Research Council (NWO). Research group Social Enterprises & Institutions for Collective Action is part of the consortium. Professor Tine De Moor is PI of the ECCO project.

During the kick-off, the project’s substantive and organisational foundations were presented, including deliverables, task allocation, and the planning for the next five years. The meeting served as a refresher for existing partners but also offered an opportunity to meet new consortium representatives. In spring 2026, several meetings are planned to further deepen and intensify the collaboration. Ten PhD positions are already open for candidates starting that year.

After the kick-off, the end-of-year meeting took place in the Erasmus Pavilion. Here, ECCO was officially launched, the Citizen Collectives Monitor was presented, and the thesis awards were handed out. It was a fitting combination of research, public engagement, and recognition of academic achievements.