What are the barriers to co-operation between an NGO and a science shop?
A perceived barrier can be whether students could be capable of meeting the needs of the NGOs. Interacts research showed that NGOs reported very positively on student commitment e.g. in the Austrian case study reports the students were described as very ambitious, engaged, active, and determined. In the United Kingdom case study report the independence and critical awareness of student researchers was pointed out. Another barrier, mentioned in the Danish case study report, is that when NGOs approach the Science Shops with project proposals, they cannot be sure, whether or when some students will decide to work with their project proposal. This can have an impact on how many NGOs approach the science shop and with what type of problems. For some NGOs it seems to imply that they approach the Science Shops with less urgent, but maybe more long-term oriented and strategic problems.
