SciShops

SciShops will build an extensive knowledge base by analysing the practices of the existing European and International Science Shops. The developed strategies and novel tools provided by the project, including a knowledge hub, a SciShops navigator, twinning and matchmaking platform, seek to provide guidelines for different types of public and private organizations on how to establish and run a Science Shop.

What is a Science Shop?

Science Shops are entities that carry out independent participatory scientific research on behalf of citizens and local civil society. It is an open, inclusive and often interdisciplinary process in which citizens and community groups collaborate with researchers to help solve issues at local and regional levels.

More on “What are Science Shops” here.

Building on and expanding the capacity of the Science Shops ecosystem in Europe

As part of the SciShops project, at least ten new university- and non-university-based Science Shops will be established in Europe by project partners. The non-university Science Shops are affiliated to different types of organizations, such as small and medium enterprises, large enterprises, non-governmental and non-profit organizations and research institutes. The SciShops team aims to demonstrate the benefits of starting a Science Shop for various kinds of organization, as well as to show how civil society gains from collaborating with Science Shops in community-based participatory research. The achievement of the projected outcomes is divided in 6 steps:

• ASSESS European and international Science Shops characteristics and players, drivers and barriers of establishing a new conceptual science shop for the community.
• IDENTIFY and engage relevant community-based research and knowledge transfer from Science Shops to society for the benefit of the community.
• ELABORATE a good strategy for community-based research and knowledge transfer from Science Shops to society for the benefit of the community.
• BUILD an online platform with best possible practices in the field, guidelines and recommendations for networking between Science Shops activities and exchange and best matchmaking.
• CONCEPTUALIZE and organize best summer schools and knowledge cafes with students and trainers from the same field but from different geographical areas.
• ESTABLISH new Science Shops within different types of research organizations, based on the acquired knowledge, best possible experience, best practices and overall guidelines.

The listed objectives will be achieved through:

• Raising awareness and improving the understanding in civil society about the activities of Science Shops and how can these help overcome problems;
• Increasing the involvement of interest groups that can guide Science Shops activities and raise awareness about the benefits of collaborating with one.

Links

https://www.scishops.eu/about/background/

https://www.scishops.eu/resources/what-is-a-science-shop-faq/

Keywords

Science Shops, participatory research, organisations, establishment, civil society, community-based research, collaboration.