7. Questions relating to the Living Knowledge network
7.1 What is the Living Knowledge network?
7.2 How can I become a member of Living Knowledge?
7.3 What is the membership fee for participating in Living Knowledge??
7.4 What can Living Knowledge offer a member?
To the general overview of
Frequently Asked Questions
7.1 What is the Living Knowledge network?
Living Knowledge is the international network of science shops and comparable organisations. It is a meeting place for all organisations and persons interested in community based research and science and society relations. Living Knowledge offers a forum for the exchange of information, expertise and ideas.
7.2 How can I become a member of Living Knowledge?
You can become a member of Living Knowledge by
subscribing the Living
Knowledge network. Members do have
access to the news and discussion list and receive the
electronic bi-annual Living Knowledge newsletter.
Members are requested to share their information,
expertise and questions with the other members of the
network.
7.3 What is the membership fee for participating in Living Knowledge?
Living Knowledge is a free network.
Now all network services are for free but in the future
different levels of membership might be introduced. You
will be informed via the Living Knowledge list if there
will be changes in the membership conditions and costs.
7.4 What can Living Knowledge offer a member?
Besides the services of the network Living Knowledge can contribute to the visibility and position of science shops in general by lobbying and networking for science shops.
Living Knowledge can also offer training materials and mentoring activities for new science shops.
One barrier that many science shops face is lack of visibility, both towards the public and towards researchers, students, and decision-makers at universities and in research planning. However, too much publicity could trigger a demand which smaller science shops would not have the resources to cope with.
Science shops in many countries are small entities known at a local or regional level, but with limited access to national policy and media levels. The regional coverage and visibility of science shops has to be improved and the support of university management structures and policy makers is essential in order to achieve the needed outreach towards society organisations and the network of universities.
At the EU level Living Knowledge is recogised as the portal for science shops (see also FAQ 6.1).
