Informationsdienst Wissenschaft

The information Wissenschaft eV ( idw ) operates an Internet platform, the press releases and dates from more than 900 academic institutions bundles: universities, colleges, government and non-governmental research institutes, institutions of research funding and science administration. Exclusively for journalists, he operates a mediation expert, the idw experts brokers. The idw is thus one of the most comprehensive sources of science news in Germany. Journalists and institutions in the most European countries now use the idw.

Self-understanding

The idw has two primary objectives:

  • To provide the public with a comprehensive picture of the German research landscape and
  • A close network to network devices between connected (research).

Offers

The information in the idw can be accessed for free - either directly on the www pages of information service science, individually configurable via RSS feed or email subscription. Each user can read the contents when satisfy its thematic and regional interests, and use it for their own information services. All offers of the information service science are free of charge: the latest news ticker, calendar of science, research in the archive ( with more than 260,000 press releases) and a list of associated institutions and contact details of the local contact person. For journalists, idw next instruments for experts mediation holds ready.

There are various ways to communicate with journalists For press offices of the members. Membership is only possible for such domestic and foreign facilities that carry out research themselves or teaching, promote or otherwise are directly involved in science.

Idea and start-up

The original idea of the information service science was the expert agency for journalists. Following the example of the American ProfNet, the press spokesman for the University of Bayreuth, Ruhr-University Bochum and the Technical University of Clausthal in early 1995 developed with the processing center at the Technical University of Clausthal, a concept for a German-language network with the help of new media. Technically, the concept of employees in Clausthal data center was implemented. Today, a total of nine colleagues at the idw care: cultivate one's software developers and develop the control system of the service on, all other colleagues responsible for user support and content development. The idw still exists at three locations: at the Ruhr- University Bochum, at the University of Bayreuth and at the Technical University of Clausthal.

Financing and development

A project sponsored by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research ( BMBF) secured the initial phase ( 1996-1999). The Donors' Association for German Science supported together with the Ministry of the technical structure of the idw. The Science Initiative for years combines the idw close cooperation. Since 2000, the news service science is economically independent. It is funded by contributions from the affiliated member institutions. Since 2002 he has organized as a profit registered association ( eV ).

The meaning and scope

32,000 subscribers receive periodic messages from idw, including about 6,400 are registered as journalists. Some 900 institutions publish their press releases and dates on the information service science. (October 2013)

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