Designing Horizon 2020 – The case of
the Socio-economic Sciences and
Humanities
Monique Septon, Fund for Scientific Research-FNRS
Horisondil on Horisont, Tallinn, Feb. 26, 2013
Horizon 2020 & SSH
Introduction
Horizon 2020 – The Belgian experience
Horizon 2020 – The SSH experience
What’s next?
The Fund for Scientific ResearchFNRS
Research Funding Agency (b.1928)
Private foundation of public interest
Scientific
Excellence
Individu
als
Projects
Equipment
Bottom
Up
Mobility
DEVELOP BASIC RESEARCH
International Department
Horizon 2020 & SSH
Introduction
Horizon 2020 – The Belgian experience
Horizon 2020 – The SSH experience
What’s next?
Horizon 2020 - Negociations
Horizon 2020 - Negociations
H2020 – Objectives and
Structure
Challenge 6 - Europe
in a Changing World
– Inclusive,
innovative,
reflective societies
Challenge 7 Secure societies
Horizon 2020 & SSH
Introduction
Horizon 2020 – The Belgian experience
Horizon 2020 – The SSH experience
What’s next?
H2020 – A Belgian
experience…. 1/3
Once upon a time (July ‘10)...
COUNCIL
Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU – Workshop on
simplification with MEPs, LERU…
Led to a WG on simplification by the Belgian Permanent
Representation: reps from Ministries, universities, enterprises…
FWB universities and BE position papers on Simplification
Meanwhile, back at the ranch...
Council - Informal Ministerial Group on Simplification
Born Belgian Presidency. RIP Danish Presidency
Two reports – Few meetings, lots of exchange of information
Members: FR, SW, BE (eg FNRS), HUN, PL+DK, SP
H2020 – A Belgian
experience…. 2/3
Commission: Green Paper: Common Strategic Framework
consultation Feb’11– 775 PP, 1300 responses to online
questionnaire, included Belgian universities
Commission Proposal on H2020, Nov. ‘11
Creation of a WG H2020 by Belgian Perm Rep – Universities
PP and Belgium PP
H2020 – A Belgian
experience…. 3/3
EP : Participation to debates – M. Graça de Carvalho
Bilateral discussions with BE MEPS
Council : ongoing help requested by RP in various fields :
EIT, full costing, Societal challenges). Unified front?
Belgian Interuniversity WG Horizon 2020, 28 Feb ‘13
Rules for Participation: Funding costs testing – Paper,
European Institute of Innovation and Technology
The FNRS…et al
Science Europe – Major player
ETAG and FNRS among founding members
51 members, 26 countries, 30b€/yr
Develop coherent and inclusive European Research Area
Iglo Group (« ask Kristi »)
Net4Society, almost 50 countries, e.g. Estonia
(Archimedes)
Horizon 2020 & SSH
Introduction
Horizon 2020 – The Belgian experience
Horizon 2020 – The SSH experience
What’s next?
Lobbying activities (2011-ongoing?)
Common Strategic Framework: lobby for strong
integration of SSH in future FP (no name at the time)
Presentation of Net4Soc PP at EP
Participation to preparatory workshops on SSH/H2020
Letter to COM official on separation of SSH and security
challenges in H2020
Open letter to MGQ with other orgs on independent
challenge
Found an umbrella organisation for European SSH
stakeholders: European Alliance on Social Sciences and
Humanities (EASSH)
Presentation to MGQ of open letter and Vienna
Declaration
WRITING
1 – Newsletter
The voice of SSH in Europe
2 - Success Stories of SSH Impact
SSH results shape policy and legislative actions
Impact of SSH difficult to measure, low visibility
Publication of success stories with impact on research and
policy, society, economy
WORKSHOP
Workshop – Learning by doing (Jan ‘13) – Make interdisclinarity
work (ID)
Special focus on SSH
Speakers: FP6-7 funded projects (cooperation programme)
Audience of EU officials (relay), research managers, scientists
Aim: identify successful paths for making multi- and
interdisciplinarity effective
Recommendations: Advancing ID research is a process and a new
mindset must be cultivated
Will lead to policy briefing, serve as basis for Pillar 3
Intro : Disciplines are social constructs but… (see EPSRC)
Idea behind funding the presented projects: use available
results of previous projects and integrate disciplines
(cohorts, data, analysis of a specific region, specific
challenge…)
Some projects managed to create a roadmap on future
research (eg ageing), draw scenarios on global changes,
combine different disciplines
But other projects had difficulties in cooperation, leader,
some disciplines represented, little flexibility, lack of time…
Conclusion: ID/SSHmarginally present so far (COM)
The Sixth Challenge, the Seventh cloud, the eigth wonder…
From « Inclusive, Innovative and Secure Societies” to
“Europe in a Changing World (inclusive, innovative and
reflective societies)” and “Secure societies”
Variations in text from COM proposal to EP to Council –
Budget allocation needs to take into account the new
structure
EP amendments to take out components from Challenge
6 (e.g. Cohesion) and put them elsewhere
Vienna Declaration on Social Innovation (Sept 11): 14
research topics prioritised
Europe 2020 – Designing research for European societies in
a changing world (18 Sept 12), EP/BMBF
Bringing forward interdisciplinary research in general but
also within the particular SSH
Ch Ehler (EP, Rapporteur RfP H2020) : excellence, increase
of COM proposal budget
RJ Smits (Dir Gnl, DG RTDI): SSH= major role change of
mind set, examples, make ID work
Science Europe & SSH
Position Statement Jan ‘13
Embedding Social Sciences and Humanities in H2020 Societal Challenges
“SSH will play an important role” (MGQ, RJ Smits) but clear
strategy needed
Recommendations
- SSH research and researchers should be properly embedded in the
decision making about how the societal challenges are
developed and implemented
- A number of ‘SSH cross-cutting themes’ should be embedded in all
societal challenges
- The budget frame for vital research on social, cultural and
economic questions must be set appropriately
- Non-academic partners should be broadly defined in H2020
Horizon 2020 & SSH
Introduction
Horizon 2020 – The Belgian experience
Horizon 2020 – The SSH experience
What’s next?