Science Shop of Technische Universität Berlin

Science Shop of Technische Universität Berlin (Germany)

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kubus (Cooperation and Consulting for Environmental Questions), the University based and unded Science Shop, is a service facility of TU Berlin and part of the Centre for Scientific Continuing Education and Cooperation (ZEWK). It has been established in 1986. A Science Shop is an intermediary which provides independent, participatory research support in response to concerns experienced by civil society.

We work on all domains of Nature Protection and Sustainable Development while intend to take part in solutions of future ecological and social tasks. Therefore we promote cooperation and exchange on matters of pressing environmental and social concern between the university and other interested parties.

This involves primarily environmental organisations and other NGOs, communal institutions, local authorities, labour promotion enterprises, small and medium enterprises (SME), micro enterprises, social enterprises, and organisations representing craft trades – from local to regional and international level. Initiation and Co-ordination of projects, conferences, workshops and networks are part of this work. That means kubus works inter- and transdisciplinary and is oriented on an equal exchange between science and society.

Since 2011, Project Laboratories are coordinated and supported by Science Shop kubus.
Project Laboratories give students the opportunity to self dependently work on practical, interdisciplinary and innovative projects, which are related to their regular studies and extend these. The general orientation for the projects is a socially useful, environmental friendly science and technology.

The projects receive support and consulting services from professors and central University institutions like kubus. Due to student initiative, the Project Laboratories were established in 1985. In the last nearly 30 years, over 120 Project Laboratories have been successful of which many have been awarded prizes.

Some have even become regular offers at TU Berlin, e.g. Energieseminar, unirad (bicycle repair shop), BlueEngineering seminar and Integrated Seminar on Environmental Technologies. In the future, the integration of the innovative aspects of the projects, e.g. Explorative Learning, Service Learning and Community-based Teaching will become more and more important.