The Berlin Institute for Co-operative Studies (BICS) is an independent research organization that has been based at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin since 1992. Its main aim is the study of co-operative organizations, which are member-based collective action organizations governed by democratic rule and the principle of user-ownership. The BICS is constituted by a number of academics that demonstrate a vivid interdisciplinary research interest in studying and finding solutions for a wide spectrum of problems relating to collaborative organizations. Academic members of the BICS research, lecture, and share expertise on the topic.