The ‘ResearCH goes Wiki’ -project is a collaboration between Wikimedia CH and the foundation Scienceet Cité. The first phase of this project began in 2023 and ends in February 2025. Due to the positive experiences, the collaboration will continue. The next activity, the seminar at ETH Zurich ‘Interactive Science Communication’ on the history of technology, starts on 25 February 2025.

‘ResearCH goes Wiki’ aims

  • to bring science and research together on Wikipedia.
  • to provide knowledge about editing Wikipedia in workshops for researchers, students and communication professionals.
  • to advise institutions on creating and revising Wikipedia articles about their research.

‘Wikipedia is still underestimated as a medium for science communication,’ says project manager Flurin Beuggert of Science et Cité. “Our project takes on a mediating role between science and Wikipedia.” The objective is not only to create new content, but also to introduce a younger generation of researchers to the platform and encourage them to make their expertise accessible to a broad audience in an easy-to-understand way.

Wikimedia CH is supporting this initiative in a number of ways. We understand our engagement as part of the association’s mission to raise awareness of the work and importance of the wiki movement and to help ensure that more content from Switzerland is made freely available to the world.

Science et Cité is planning and developing the courses together with the experienced Wikipedian Diego Hättenschwiler. They establish links with the universities and contribute expertise in the area of science communication for a broad public.

After the first phase, let’s have a look on some statistics: Approximately 100 students have participated in the project so far; nine lecturers were involved; about 90,000 characters were added to Wikipedia; five completely new articles were created, twelve were largely renewed – all on academic topics (mostly on climate). There were also countless minor edits. The students gave very good feedback on this course.

‘ResearCH goes Wiki’ offers

  • Workshops at universities
  • Workshops and training for researchers and institutions
  • Consultancy for scientific institutions
  • Editathons and editing campaigns

The following institutions are among the partners:

  • ETH Zurich: interactive science communication on the history of technology (course starts on 25 February 2025)
  • University of Bern: editing workshop as part of the block course ‘Nature-based solutions for Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation’ University of Neuchâtel: editing workshop as part of the MA course ‘Effective communication for biodiversity conservation’.
  • University of St. Gallen: editing workshop as part of the block course ‘Governing Finance for Tackling Climate Change’
  • University of Bern: editing workshop as part of the writing seminar ‘Wissenschaftskommunikation’ at the Institute for Theatre Studies
  • University of Lausanne: editing workshop as part of the seminar ‘Michel Vinaver et le théâtre du quotidien’

 

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