Science Training

In brief

We provide training to decision makers, journalists and representatives of social organizations, that help them to better understand and evaluate social research.

Would you like us to conduct a Science Training? Please feel free to contact us.

Course overview

Currently, we are offering three types of trainings on "The Uses of Research", "Inquiry and Change" and "How to be a Relevant Scholar offering Usable Knowledge?". Please find a more detailed description here.

What we offer

Our trainings support societal stakeholders to better understand and evaluate social research. Furthermore, our trainings help people to understand how policies are developed, what kind of knowledge could help to formulate good and effective policies, and how those who are affected by policies can inform these policies with their values, goals and knowledge. Important themes of the courses are:

How to read and assess research? What kinds of knowledge and help can policymakers expect and not expect from academics? What is Usable Knowledge? How do policymakers as a rule make policies in open democratic societies? How can research improve the quality of these policies? How to further democratic participation and deliberation in the policy making process in such ways that the values, goals and knowledge of the stakeholders are incorporated and the effectiveness, efficiency and approval of the policies are enhanced?

Furthermore, the trainings form a platform for researchers and policymakers who have doubts about the quality of particular research, are witnessing how this research nevertheless impacts decision making outcomes and are unsure how to express their doubts in constructive ways. Their experiences are exchanged in the trainings and can be published on our blog for a broader audience.

Fees

The tuition fee depends on the background of the organizations asking for usable knowledge. Less resourceful civic organizations will be charged less or will receive help to get their fee funded by foundations trying to further civic society.

Why we offer it

Through our trainings we want to empower societal stakeholders to be able to understand social research, which might affect them or is carried out by them. Additionally, in this way we hope to further public debate, the utilization of research and the quality of public decision making.