ndrea Vargiu is associate professor of Sociology at the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Sassari (Italy) where he directs the Foist Laboratory for Social Policies and Training Processes. The Foist Lab was founded in 1977 by Professor Alberto Merler to promote equitable co-operation between the community and university. Foist is a partner of Living Knowledge, the international network of Science Shops, and is the first Italian hub of the K4C – Knowledge for Change programme. Under international coordination of the UNESCO chair in Community Based Research and Responsibility of Higher Education, K4C will train the next generation of community-based researchers.