This report presents data on peer-reviewed S&E journals and conference proceedings reflecting the rapidly expanding volume of research activity, the involvement and scientific capabilities different countries, and the expanding research ecosystem demonstrated through international collaborations. Publication output grew about 4% annually over…

Purpose: The aim of the paper is to analyse the use of Communities of Practice and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to enhance knowledge sharing between researchers and advisors. The associated research question is to what extent ICT supported a virtual Community of Practice and has been effective in counteracting fragmentation…

University business incubators give businesses access to labs and equipment, scientific-technical knowledge, networks, and reputation. A study of incubators in Italy shows they do not resolve inadequate funding or lack of management and financial skills. However, the networking capacity can offset these problems. (Contains 25 notes/references.)…

Case studies of 10 publicly funded research laboratories in Italy show that integration of scientific research into the social system has only partially been achieved because of barriers in the host institutions and that there is continuing conflict between the priorities of quality and research transferability. (SK)

This article focuses on the impact of research and education evaluation on two universities: Trento State University (Italy) and the University of Amsterdam (The Netherlands). The article adopts a system approach to evaluation and proposes a model to describe and analyse evaluation systems. The analysis has been carried out by means of in-depth…

A discussion is presented on the development and implementation of two inservice training programs for science teachers which were based on a "constructivist perspective" which is based on the belief that knowledge (in an individual) is always a personal construction. Within this framework, the programs involved the development of both…

The papers in this collection were presented at an international symposium on improving the management of urban research, particularly through city-university collaboration. An introductory framework paper summarizes the range of research services available to local government, the types of urban research activity, and the problems of urban…

A constructivistic learning process was used with primary and secondary students in Genoa, Italy, to approach the problem of the diffusion of the alloctonous algae Caulerpa taxifolia in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea. Because of the lack of a continuous research program in Italy, the media played a heavy role in the transfer of information to…