04. May 2020 | Münster
Within the framework of the münster.land.leben project, our Science to Society research line aims to provide academics as actors of science/society cooperation with the tools to help them overcome common transfer barriers. These operative and strategic tools and methods are to be summarized in a toolbox and made available to academics who are doing science/society projects in the domain of health and well-being.
Our team has already presented a first prototype of the toolbox to the other sub-projects of the münster.land.leben project in summer 2019: A descriptive handbook with all important tools and instruments to overcome transfer barriers in science/society projects and thus to successfully connect science and society. Transfer barriers are challenges or difficulties that may arise in a collaboration between universities and society. The tools are explained, in a structure: goals, implementation, advantages and disadvantages, working templates, practical examples and practical experiences from the münster.land.leben project.
The introduction of the toolbox enabled the abstract term toolbox to become more tangible for the sub-projects of the münster.land.leben project. Since the toolbox is deployed as a co-creation project, we have worked together with the other sub-projects over the past year to collect content. For this purpose, we have been in a lively exchange with the other projects, exchanging approaches and experiences. By applying our selection of tools in practice, project teams support an adaptation of the tools to be a fit also for future science/society projects.
In April 2020, the second prototype of the Toolbox was presented, with a total of 10 tools, which have already been successfully applied by members of the münster.land.leben project.
During the course of the project, more tools will be proposed and evaluated, to successfully combine Higher Education Institutions and societal stakeholders in the sense of "Science with and for Society" and therefore to contribute to the Third Mission of Muenster university of applied sciences and beyond.
"We see the toolbox as a co-creation element of the münster.land.leben project, which accelerates the innovation process in the field of Science/Society. By making processes visible and tangible, we further enhance our understanding of collaboration in this specific context and portray the similarities between project. This generalisation is key in developing strategies to employ science for society on a larger scale. We are grateful for this unique opportunity of interdisciplinary collaboration between faculties, between higher education institutions and with society. The co-creation has been an educative journey for all."
Dr. Kerstin Kurzhals (head of S2S and MLL sub-project 5)