Heraklion: European City of Science 2028
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FORTH leads Crete into the international forefront.
Heraklion is officially designated as a European City of Science for 2028.
Heraklion and the wider region of Crete now stand at the centre of a major European initiative designed to bring science closer to society. The official approval of the project “Science comes to town 2028: CurioCities”, under the Horizon Europe programme, marks a landmark distinction for the Foundation for Research and Technology – Hellas (FORTH), which coordinates the project through its Institute of Computer Science.
The proposal submitted by FORTH ranked first in an exceptionally competitive evaluation process, highlighting four cities—Heraklion, Durham, Linz and Braga—as the European Cities of Science for 2028. This distinction is not merely an achievement; it confirms the international visibility of Crete’s research ecosystem and FORTH’s strategic capacity to lead large scale European initiatives.
With a central mission to foster scientific curiosity and combat pseudoscience, the programme aims to transform participating cities into open laboratories of science, creativity and civic engagement. Throughout 2028, science will move beyond research facilities and into public squares, schools, streets and community spaces, through activities expected to reach more than 10 million citizens across Europe and over 400,000 students.
The programme places strong emphasis on inclusion and equitable access to knowledge, with specially designed actions for vulnerable and socially excluded groups. Selected activities will extend across the entire Region of Crete, ensuring that science reaches every corner of the island. The connection between science, art, culture and everyday life will be a core pillar of the initiative, while Heraklion will host the EU TalentOn 2028 competition—one of Europe’s flagship events bringing together young researchers from across the continent.
