EDITORIAL 28.11.2014 “The integration of social sciences in H2020 proposals: what do “horizontal aspects” and “interdisciplinarity” mean”

2 Directors of the European Commission – DG RTD and CONECT- are sharing their insights on these issues. In an interview given to NET4society – the network of SSH NCPs- Peter Dröll and Paul Timmers explain the process of “embedding social sciences in Horizon 2020”

1. Peter Dröll, Acting Director of Directorate B “Innovation Union and European Research Area” in the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD):
 
– “NET4SOCIETY“: Horizon 2020 takes a new approach with regard to Social Sciences and Humanities and aims to embed them throughout the programme.” What does that imply for proposals and applicants to be well prepared?
– “Horizon 2020 clearly states that Social Science and Humanities research will be “fully integrated” into each of its priorities, be it excellent science, industrial leadership or societal challenges.
Indeed, solving the most pressing societal challenges requires the appropriate inclusion of Social Science and Humanities research.
This requires highly interdisciplinary projects – a challenge for programme managers and applicants alike. Thanks to this approach, the number and range of topics with SSH-relevance is considerably larger than in the 7th Framework Programme.

2. Paul Timmers, Director of Directorate H „Sustainable & Secure Society” at the European Commission’s Directorate-General „Communications Networks, Content & Technology” (DG CONNECT) offers his views on the role of ICT in Societal challenge 6 workprogramme:

– “NET4SOCIETY”: Like Social Sciences and Humanities, ICTis a cross-cutting issue in Horizon 2020 and is taken up in different parts of the programme. How do you pursue the integration of ICT in the different Challenges?
– While the development of key enabling, industrial, future and emerging technologies is prominent in the Excellent Science and the Industrial Leadership pillars of H2020, the Societal Challenges focus on the usage of ICTs as a possible enabler for addressing issues such as sustainable energy, demographic change, public sector modernisation or secure society.
Other important aspects of H2020 such as innovation and the contribution to relevant Europe 2020 flagship initiatives including the Digital Agenda for Europe also help in integrating ICT in the different challenges, as technologies supporting various policy areas.

– Do you believe that this approach is effective in promoting interdisciplinarity?
– “Digital” triggers changes in the method of science, innovation, organisation and governance in many areas.
These changes are sometimes gradual and evolutionary, often times transformative. Facilitating and requiring interdisciplinarity is just one manifestation.
“Digital” is object of study in SSH, but also a change agent in the method of SSH (e.g. big data) or a transformative factor (e.g. social physics).

Mathilde Vivot
NCP for H2020 “Inclusive, innovative and reflective societies; science in and for society”