Designing Horizon 2020

1
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

2
Horizon 2020 SSH

• Introduction
• Horizon 2020 The Belgian experience
• Horizon 2020 The SSH experience
• Whats next?

3
The Fund for Scientific Research- FNRS

• Research Funding Agency (b.1928)
• Private foundation of public interest

DEVELOP BASIC RESEARCH
4
International Department
5
Horizon 2020 SSH

• Introduction
• Horizon 2020 The Belgian experience
• Horizon 2020 The SSH experience
• Whats next?

6
Horizon 2020 - Negociations
7
Horizon 2020 - Negociations
8
H2020 Objectives and Structure
Challenge 6 - Europe in a Changing World
Inclusive, innovative, reflective
societies Challenge 7 - Secure societies
9
Horizon 2020 SSH

• Introduction
• Horizon 2020 The Belgian experience
• Horizon 2020 The SSH experience
• Whats next?

10
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, PLDK, SP

11
H2020 A Belgian experience. 2/3

• Commission Green Paper Common Strategic
  Framework consultation Feb11 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

12
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

13
The FNRSet 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)

14
Horizon 2020 SSH

• Introduction
• Horizon 2020 The Belgian experience
• Horizon 2020 The SSH experience
• Whats next?

15

• 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

16

• 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

17

• 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

18

• 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)

19

• 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

20

• 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

21
Science Europe SSHPosition 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

22
Horizon 2020 SSH

• Introduction
• Horizon 2020 The Belgian experience
• Horizon 2020 The SSH experience
• Whats next?