Improving Co-operation between NGO’s. Universities and Science Shops	

NEWSLETTER 2

February 2004	
Contact
Michael Strähle
Wissenschaftsladen Wien - Science Shop Vienna
Währinger Str. 59, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
T (43-1) 4012128, F (43-1) 4012165
wilawien@adis.at	

Content

1.	Case Studies Reports available for download
2.	Duration of INTERACTS extended
3.	Further reports available for download soon
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4.	On INTERACTS
5.	On Science Shops

INTERACTS is funded by the European Commission, DG 12

Progress Bar

Case Studies Reports

The next INTERACTS reports, the Case Studies Reports, are available for download at http://members.chello.at/wilawien/INTERACTS/reports.html.

For the first time researchers examined the expectations from and the practical experience with interaction between small to medium NGOs, science shops and universities in Austria, Denmark, Germany, Romania, Spain and the United Kingdom and produced an inventory of the impact direct co-operations mediated through science shops had on NGO's, researchers and science shops. Seven reports are available, each one consists of three case studies. 

Duration of INTERACTS extended

The duration of the INTERACTS project was extended for two months. Probably, work on the project  will be finished at the end of February. The final report will be available for downable after the European Commission’s approval.

Further reports available for download soon

Until the end of February, resp. the beginning of March the following deliverables of the INTERACTS project will be available for download:
- Seven reports on participatory workshops in each of the partner countries. The workshops allowed discussion of future expectations and perspectives for co-operation with NGO representatives, researchers and policy makers, 
- a Toolkit for organising such participatory workshops,
- a database of common themes from research, and
- the draft for the final report.

On INTERACTS

INTERACTS is a pioneer cross-national study by organisations and institutions from seven different countries collaborating across disciplines to identify necessary changes in structures and routines in the RTD system for improving the future interaction between NGO’s, researchers, and intermediaries like science shops. Bringing together the results from different countries will allow a broader picture to emerge concerning past experience with impact of science shops, future expectations and policy relevance. Thereby, INTERACTS contributes to the strengthening of the interaction between research institutions and society and gives more in-depth understanding of processes and effects of knowledge production.

http://members.chello.at/wilawien/interacts/main.html

On Science Shops

Science shops provide independent, participatory research support to NGO’s on a demand driven and affordable basis. Thereby, science shops promote and support public access to, and public influence on, science, research and technology.
Most science shops are university-based, while others are independent research institutes. Most of them – university- and non-university-based ones alike – act as intermediaries between universities and NGO’s and mostly engage students for doing research, thus enhancing the students’ skills in putting science to practical use. Others are independent research institutes where professional researchers do all research work.

According to estimates about 70 science shops exist in Europe alone. Most of them are located in the Netherlands, from where the idea of setting up science shops spread to Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Luxemburg, Romania, and the United Kingdom since the 1970's. In their respective countries, science shops are known under different names such as “Wetenschapswinkels” (The Netherlands) and “Wissenschaftsläden” (Austria, Germany). Science shops also exist in the USA – where they are called Community-Based Research Centers -, Malaysia, South Africa and South Korea.