Scientific knowledge is considered one of the most important innovation resources for modernising an economy. In the search for innovation potential, the way in which this knowledge is produced is attracting increasing attention. Particularly interesting, apart from discipline-focused university research, is the production of knowledge from cooperation between science and other actors, especially business enterprises. At the same time, science faces increasing demands from politicians and other sectors of society to legitimate its activities. There has been a general loss of trust in the traditional elements of self-regulation in science and, in particular, in the quality-assessment procedures of scientific communities. The spread of state-imposed evaluations, rankings, and ratings are a reflection and consequence of this mistrust.

The Research Group, established in January 2008, addresses the question of how these two trends are developing and what effects they are having on science. The first area of research examines the question of how scientific knowledge is produced and used today. What novel, boundary-spanning modes of knowledge production can be identified? In examining such issues, some projects examine spin-offs from universities and non-university research institutes. They investigate the impacts these entities have on knowledge production and the performance spectrum of universities and non-university institutes.

The second focal area is the general development and effects of new forms of governance in science. Elements of this new governance in science are changes in training, the introduction of New Public Management tools in universities and research institutes, performance appraisal by means of evaluations, and new forms of cooperation with industry, politics, and civil society. Particular attention is devoted to tools of quality assessment and promotion that respect the mechanisms of scientific self-regulation while fulfilling the requirements of the state in providing the framework for education and research. How can this balance be achieved? What role do actors from science, from fields of societal praxis, and from politics play?

The projects of the Research Group, which are largely third-party funded, are carried out by multi-disciplinary teams of political scientists, sociologists, and social economists.

f.r.t.l.: Dagmar Simon, Andreas Knie (WiPo) together with Peter Strohschneider (German Council of Science and Humanities) at the presentation of WiPo's Handbook on Science Policy; 12 Oct 2009