Centre for Social Innovation - ZSI

The Centre for Social Innovation, short ZSI, is a trans-disciplinary social science research institute. Its headquarters is located in Vienna, Austria. ZSI employs around 60 persons, most of them researchers from different disciplinary backgrounds. The ZSI’s core competencies comprise social-scientific S&T policy studies, patterns of techno-globalisation, etc. It is involved in several projects related to RRI (Responsible Research and Innovation) and ‘Technology and Knowledge’ activities on the implementation of open science, citizen science, the maker movement, technology assessment, citizen engagement processes, etc. ZSI performs research and development activities on the potentials and limitations of emerging technologies and their diffusion in technologically mediated settings for the benefits of society. A core activity is the evaluation and impact assessment of socio-technical projects. Participatory and trans-disciplinary research methods combined with user-centred design and innovation as well as open science processes are at the core of the methodological repertoire of this interdisciplinary group.