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New guidelines support participation in research!
Researchers at Chemnitz University of Technology present new guidelines for participation in research, available as a PDF and interactive online version.
New guidelines support participation in research!
On April 1, 2025, the Junior Professorship of Sociology with a focus on technology at the Chemnitz University of Technology, led by Philipp Schrögel, published a new guideline for participation in research. This guide is not only available online, but can also be downloaded as a PDF, making it a valuable resource for anyone involved in participatory projects in research and practice. The guide aims to provide inspiring support and guidance in the diverse landscape of participatory approaches that are becoming increasingly important.
The guide was developed in a collaborative process involving over 150 participants from various participation communities. This was done through online workshops and feedback rounds in which the content was discussed and refined. The result is a card set in a handy A5 format that consists of 60 illustrated cards. Each card contains structured key questions and methods that are intended to facilitate the application of participatory approaches.
Background and development
The guide is part of the PartWiss project, which is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. This joint project emerged from various impulses aimed at strengthening participation in science in Germany. These impulses include, among others, the “Policy Paper on Participation” and the “Green Paper on Participation in Research”, which formulates recommendations for promoting citizen participation in scientific projects.
In 2022, the science year “In Demand!” initiated, followed by the founding of the Society for Transdisciplinary and Participatory Research (GTPF) e.V. in 2023. These developments reflect the growing need for participatory approaches in science. The guide also contains instructions for involving citizens in research processes and evaluates existing findings, particularly in the areas of “citizen science” and “transdisciplinary research”.
Conferences and resources
PartWiss will organize annual conferences until 2026 that bring researchers and practitioners together to exchange knowledge and develop common principles. The aim of these conferences is to further explore and strengthen the possibilities for participation in research. In addition, a collection of resources on participation in research is being developed, which includes central policy and position papers as well as a literature database of relevant publications.
The new guidelines represent another important step towards promoting participation in research and providing new impetus to deepen cooperation between science and society. Anyone interested can find the guide and other materials on the Chemnitz University of Technology website. How tu-chemnitz.de reports, the guide is perceived as a valuable tool for supporting participatory projects.