The untapped potential of inter-project cooperation of citizen science projects in Austria

Despite the growing interest in citizen science, many projects continue to operate in isolation. This study explores the current state and potential for cooperation among citizen science projects in Austria by analyzing the extent, reasons and obstacles for cooperation. Through a questionnaire distributed to 121 projects listed on the Austrian citizen science platform <i>Österreich forscht</i>, 50 projects were examined. The analysis found that interactions between these projects are limited, with most cooperation focusing on sharing experiences. The primary motivation for (future) cooperation is achieving common goals, while the main obstacle to cooperating with other citizen science projects is a lack of capacity and resources. The role of the citizen science platform for increasing cooperation ranges from networking (events) to highlighting long-term projects that have the necessary infrastructure for cooperation. Future research could expand to projects outside the platform and examine the characteristics of collaborators.