Workgroups are one of the key structures of Euroscience. They bring interested members of Euroscience together around a particular theme related to the general aims of the association (art. 4 of the Statutes). By contributing through their work and shared experience to projects on issues of interest, they help the association to achieve its objectives.
Workgroups’ activities can be very diverse, from discussions and debates between members on particular topics to the production of reports, the organization of conferences and meetings, etc…

The Workgroups that are currently active in Euroscience are the following:

• Education (lien vers: Workgroups > Education > Presentation)
• Ethics in Science (lien vers: Workgroups > Ethics in science > Presentation)
• Industrial Science & Technology (lien vers: Workgroups > Industrial Science & Technology> Presentation)
• Integration and Collaboration in European Science (lien vers: Workgroups > Integration and Collaboration in European Science > Presentation)
• Public Awareness of Science (lien vers: Workgroups > Public Awareness of Science > Presentation)
• Science Policy (lien vers: Workgroups > Science Policy > Presentation)
• Science Publishing (lien vers: Workgroups > Science Publishing > Presentation)
• Science and Urgent Problems of Society (lien vers: Workgroups > Science and Urgent Problems of Society> Presentation)
• Technology Transfer (lien vers: Workgroups > Technology Transfer> Presentation)

Euroscience members interested in the activities of a Workgroup should contact the corresponding Workgroup convenor. Alternatively, the Euroscience office in Strasbourg can help them to get in touch. Members may also be contacted directly by a convenor if they indicated an interest in the Workgroup’s activity on joining Euroscience.

Any Euroscience member may create a new Workgroup. The proposed theme should first be suggested to the Euroscience Workgroup coordinator (currently Euroscience vice-president Frédéric Sgard) who will discuss the idea with the members of the Governing Board or of the Executive Committee, depending on the type of project (ambitious activities will need the Governing Board’s approval).

It is strongly recommended to muster from the start a few other Euroscience members also interested in the activity. The list of Euroscience members and their fields of interest is available to fellow members in the restricted area of the website. Once interested members have discussed the project together, a short description of Workgroup goals and planned activities should be sent to the Workgroup coordinator and to the Secretariat. The coordinator will then get back to you for further exchanges on the project and give you the green light when agreement is reached.

Euroscience Workgroups are chaired by “convenors”. It is the convenor’s responsibility to animate the Workgroup and to report regularly on its activities to the Workgroup coordinator and to the Governing Board. He/she is also responsible for updating the Workgroup webpage on Euroscience’s website.

Group members should work as much as possible as a team through consensus. The strength of the Workgroups in Euroscience is that they gather people from very different backgrounds and nationalities on a voluntary basis. Group members, and particularly convenors, should avoid any conflict of interest between their professional activity and that of the Workgroup.

A convenor is chosen by consensus. At the start it is usually the person who was at the origin of the Workgroup, and subsequently a person co-opted by the Workgroup members or appointed by the Governing Board if needed. Normally, each Workgroup will have among its membership at least one member of the Governing Board to ensure a good and effective liaison.

Because members usually come from various countries, Workgroups should carry out their activities mostly through e-mail exchanges and conference calls. The convenor should ensure that members are well informed of current activities and invited to participate in them, as well as consulted on future projects. Workgroup members should also try to meet in person from time to time. The Secretariat can help if necessary (although resources are scarce).

Financial or logistic support may be provided by the Euroscience Secretariat for exceptional events (organization of a conference for instance). However, the resources of the association are very limited, and the day-to-day activities of the Workgroup should be supported by its members. Workgroups should also try to attract external resources for particular projects such as major studies, important reports, conferences etc… The Secretariat must always be informed before any such external funding is sought, as it might have important information and contacts to help you raise funds and will try to avoid duplication of efforts.