1. ISSC-Conference „SOCIAL SCIENCE AND SOCIAL POLICY IN THE 21st CENTURY “ Vienna/VIC, December 9-11, 2002 Contribution to Special Session 9: Development of Social Sciences in selected countries „SOCIAL SCIENCES IN THE EUROPEAN UNION“ Josef Hochgerner Centre for Social Innovation

2. SCIENCE - RESEARCH - SOCIETY

3. MAJOR CHALLENGES Population growth Environmental issues Unemployment Polarised income distribution Decreasing welfare indicated by ISEW Working conditions and business organisation Knowledge economy Societal continuity and disruptions

4. Facts Figures Establishment of first EC research programmes 1957 Framework Programmes (FP) for Research and Technology Development (RTD) 1983 Specific EU research activities on social sciences 1994 EC Communication “Towards a European Reseach Area/ERA” 2000 FP4 (1994-1998): TSER (“Targeted Socio-Economic Research”) 105 Mio Euro FP5 (1998-2002): Key Action (“Improving the socio-economic knowledge base”) 165 Mio Euro FP6: Priority 7 (“Citizens and Governance in a knowledge based society”) 225 Mio Euro Budget share of Priority 7 in FP6 (of a total of 17,5 Bill. Euro) 1,3 % (P7 budget share of all Thematic Priorities = 2% of 11,285 Bill. Euro) SOCIAL SCIENCES IN EU FUNDING FOR RTD

5. Achievements of the Key Action ê Mobilising European researchers in over 200 projects with some 1500 teams involved ê Overcoming segmented approach by disciplines (as with TSER) ê Integrating research communities from candidate countries (10%) ê Stimulating additional funding from other sources (Catalyst function) ê Contributing to societal debate in Europe (most still to come) [Source: A. Sors, DG Research/Unit SER] FROM FP 5 („KEY ACTION“) TO FP 6 („PRIORITY“)

6. The broader picture ê EU FP biggest funding scheme for transnational research in social sciences ê Other actors play important roles ê European Science Foundation ê COST ê INTAS (NIS) ê UNESCO (Balkans) ê Regional cooperation schemes (Nordic Council) ê Bilateral agreements … ê Need for coordination in the ERA INTERNATIONAL RELEVANCE OF EU FUNDED RESEARCH IN SOCIAL SCIENCES

7. ECONOMY AND SOCIETY IN TRANSITION Cultural bridges: New methods of work, organisation and learning Industrial Society Industrial production of goods and services transformed agrarian society  Value creation: Goods and services  Productive factors: Soil + Labour + Capital  Success dependent on efficient use of labour [20th century] Information Society Information networks and the knowledge economy transforming industrial society  Value creation: Knowledge and access  Productive factors: Soil + Labour + Capital + Information  Success dependent on efficient use of resources [21st century]

8. TOPICAL EU POLICY OBJECTIVES INVOLVING RTD „eEurope“: Activities and policies concerning the development of the knowledge society in Europe ê Objectives of the Lisbon Summit, March 2000: „To become the most competititve and dynamic knowledge-based economy capable of sustainable ecomomic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion“ ê Developing the European Research Area (ERA) ê Most relevant instrument: 6th Framework Programme ê Establish reliable and comprehensive benchmarks for RTD ê Mapping and promotion of excellence in science and RTD ê EC Action Plan eEurope 2005, June 2002

9. BENCHMARKING EUROPEAN RTD: FIRST RESULTS World standards êThe gap to USA and Japan is increasing êPermanent flow of researchers to the US (EU brain drain) êEU provides relatively higher numbers of PhD graduates êEU lags behind concerning RTD output (S&Tproductivity) Internal EU comparison êRTD Investments too low to achieve targets set in Lisbon êExceptions with outstanding performance: Finland, Sweden êShortfall of RTD investment is due to the private sector êHuman resource development deserves attention in all MS

10. Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) ê “Universal” message - “national” funding ê Fragmentation by disciplines and different research traditions ê Urgent need for informed advice for “better” European policy making ê Particularly sensitive for all sorts of cooperation / coordination / integration / harmonisation / concentration ê Strategic role much greater than actual market share in FP6 funding STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS

11. 6th FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME Instruments  Shared cost projects 20% of the budget (decreasing)  Integrated projects 3-5 years, 15 mEuro+  Networks of Excellence 5 years or more, very few Thematic priorities  Genomics & Biotechnology  Information Society Technologies  Nanosciences & materials  Aeronautics & Space  Food Quality & Safety  Sustainability & Ecosystems  The Knowledge-based Society Expressions of Interest (EoI): June 7, 2002 First Calls for Proposals: December 17, 2002 First deadlines for submission of proposals: April 2003

12. FP6 - SOCIO-ECONOMIC RESEARCH TOPICS Priority 7: Citizens and Governance in a Knowledge based society ê Knowledge-based society and social cohesion Ý Knowledge and its impact on economic and social development Ý Choices for the development of a knowledge-based society Ý The variety paths towards a knowledge society ê Citizenship, democracy and new forms of governance Þ Implications of European integration and enlargement Þ Areas of responsibility and new forms of multi-level governance Þ Resolution of conflicts and restoration of peace and justice Þ New forms of citzenship and cultural identities Priority 2: Information Society Technologies and (as a general principle) horizontal issues in all other priorities

13. The instruments to be used êNetworks of Excellence (NoE) êIntegrated Projects (IP) êSpecific targeted research Projects (STRP) êSpecific Support Actions (SSA) Information on ERA and FP6 Work Programmes http://www.cordis.lu/rtd2002/ Publication of EoI submissions http://www.cordis.lu/fp6/eoi-instruments KEY INFORMATION CONCERNING PRIORITY 7

14. CAN SSH MEET THE NEW CHALLENGES? Most common weaknesses of SSH research in Europe ê Lack of infrastructures in SSH ê Sub-critical size of most institutes ê Too little concertation between European and national programmes ê National boundaries of research methodologies, concepts and approaches (less developed internationalisation)

15. MEASURES PROPOSED FOR DISCUSSION Most important structural support programmes (1) Infrastructures development based on national and FP6-programmes ê Earmarked funds distinguishing between public and private research organisations ê Improving ICT networks, data bank and communication facilities (2) Action plan to promote internationalisation of SSH research ê Career advancement particularly for young scientists ê Development and support of innovative forms of collaboration among private SMRs (“Small and Medium Research organisations”), universities, industries and public authorities (3) Adjustment of national and European funding systems ê Compatible programmes concerning topics and operational aspects ê Suitable criteria of eligibility and real cost calculation ê National co-funding of European research projects

16. New topics and ICT usage in science and research open up a „window of opportunity“ for SSH; however: In Canada the „Foundation for Innovation“ provided 1 Bill. CDN-D for the development of research infrastructure; concerning the SSH the following observation was made: „...our disciplines were slower to respond, largely because we haven‘t spent much time thinking about... our collective infrastructure needs“. Thus a major objective is to extend capacities and flexibility in SSH: „We must be able not only to move between traditional disciplinary and geographic boundaries. We must also build new capabilities and reflexes of co-ordination, collaboration and communication... between researchers and people from other walks of life.“ [Source: OECD 2000, „Social Sciences for a Digital World“] INTERNATIONAL REFERENCE

17. ZENTRUM FÜR SOZIALE INNOVATION CENTRE FOR SOCIAL INNOVATION Josef Hochgerner Koppstraße 116/11 A-1160 Wien Tel.: ++43.1.495 04 42 Fax.: ++43.1.495 04 42-40 e-Mail: hochgerner@zsi.at URL: http://www.zsi.at