GESIS - German Social Science Infrastructure Services e.V.

GESIS (German Social Science Infrastructure Services) supports social science research including the development and supply of databases as well as the archiving and provision of survey data from social research. Services including consultation on methodological questions, the development of complex methods of empirical research as well as GESIS own long-term observation of social developments. GESIS is divided into three local centers:

• Social Science Information Centre (IZ), Bonn: The IZ collects and disseminates information on the current state of research and literature in the social sciences in the German-speaking countries and Eastern Europe. In order to handle the information efficiently, IZ carries out research & development in information science and technology.
  
  
• Central Archive for Empirical Social Research (ZA), University of Cologne: The ZA archives primary material and results of empirical studies in order to prepare them for secondary analyses and to make them available to the interested blic.
  
  
• Centre for Survey Research and Methodology (ZUMA), Mannheim: ZUMA offers consultation services on the setting up, conducting and analyzing of social science. The center conducts its own research, facilitates access to official data and monitors social developments in specific areas using a system of social indicators. In addition, ZUMA carries out research to improve the methodological and technical basis of social sciences.