NET4SOCIETY is the transnational network of National Contact Points (NCPs) for Socio-economic Sciences and the Humanities (SSH) in the 7th EU Framework Programme (FP7). The network, funded under the SSH Theme of FP7, was first established in 2008 and has been expanding ever since. Currently almost 60 SSH NCPs from Europe and beyond participate in the network.  

 Strengthening the SSH Programme and supporting the research community, the network is gaining momentum in its fourth year of implementation, unveiling its renewed website and undertaking a number of interesting and challenging tasks outlined in this newsletter.

For further information and to find out more about our activities, please browse our website (www.net4society.eu) or contact us in: newsletter@net4society.eu

The FP7 SSH programme in 2010 included 4 different calls, based on different  types of project funding. The four calls were published on 30 July 2009: Call 1: Collaborative projects (large scale integrating research projects); Call 2: Collaborative projects (small or medium scale focused research projects); Call 3: Collaborative projects (small or medium scale focused research projects) for specific cooperation actions dedicated to international cooperation CP-FP-SICA; Call 4: Coordination and support actions.

A total of 275 submitted proposals were submitted. Overall, out of a total of 260 eligible proposals evaluated, 18 proposals were recommended for funding. The overall success rate was 7%, however, the success rate differed greatly across the four calls and ranged between 37.5% in Call 3 and 5% in Call 2.  

1596 participants were involved in the 275 proposals evaluated under this call. Out of this total number of participants ,1091 were from the Member States 116 from the Associated States and 389  from the International Cooperation Partner Countries. The largest number of participants in the evaluated proposals were from the  United Kingdom and CN - China.

International collaboration in research is essential when dealing with global problems such as climate change, health issues and sustainable energy resources. Extending research opportunities beyond EU borders  is a core mission of the European Commission. The 7^th Framework Programme for research and development is not just confined to EU Member States and Associated Countries but is open to the entire global scientific community who can participate in research projects alongside their European partners.

The EU distinguishes between International Cooperation Partner Countries (ICPCs) and High-Income countries for funding purposes. Researchers from ICPCs are eligible to receive funding for their research activities. They also enjoy similar rights such as intellectual property rights and are subject to the same obligations such as reporting and auditing. On the other hand, researchers from High-Income countries, while invited to participate, are normally not eligible to receive funding.

Recognition of the importance of the research programmes is evident in the submissions received. In the first 4 years of FP7 calls, there have been 1,127 funded partners from ICPCs. . These projects are spread across all FP7 themes. The highest number recorded is under the Health thematic area with 179 ICPC partners in all funded projects. The Socio-economic Sciences and Humanities (SSH) theme also has significant ICPC participation with 41 projects including ICPC partnerships. These projects vary from African case studies of diasporas of peace and conflict settings to connecting socio-economic research on the dynamics of the knowledge society in the EU and Latin American and Caribbean countries.

The SSH thematic area under the FP7 Cooperation programme aims to address important societal challenges such as demographic changes and quality of life; education, employment and competitiveness in view of current economic trends; Europe in the world (including challenges such as migration, ageing, poverty and crime); and the citizen in the EU. Addressing such societal challenges requires a global perspective and thus international cooperation, specifically the collaboration of ICPC countries, is strongly encouraged. There are various advantages which are gained through international collaborative research. These not only include the necessary collaboration for addressing global challenges but also mutually beneficial advantages such as building lasting links and investments through research which generates added value for all partners and cost efficiencies in research and capacity building.

The quest for knowledge is becoming increasingly global. The EU recognises that we live in one world and international collaboration in research is mutually beneficial to Europe and the outside world. This is acknowledged by the emphasis on international research cooperation in FP7 and the future Common Strategic Framework.

The Call for Proposals under the FP7 «Socio-Economic Sciences and Humanities» Work Programme for 2012 was launched on the 20th of July 2011. NET4Society has organised and supported several recent events, and will do so for future events in 2011, with the aim of raising the profile and impact of the SSH Programme of FP7.  

«Challenge Social Innovation: Innovating Innovation by Research - 100 Years After Schumpeter» is a 3-day event organised jointly by the Network of FP7 National Contact Points for Socio-economic Sciences and Humanities in FP7 (NET4SOCIETY), the Centre for Social Innovation in Vienna and the Dortmund University of Technology. The event will be taking place on 19th-21st September 2011 in Vienna. The aims and objectives of the three-day event will be to:

- Advance scientific conceptualisation of social innovation and research on innovation for development that is socially, environmentally and economically sustainable

- Establish the importance of social innovation in addition to the traditional concept of innovation

- Advance an integrated concept of innovation, including the social, economic, cultural and technological dimensions of innovation

- Initiate methodological design to include social innovation in large-scale surveys (eg. the European Innovation Scoreboard, EIS)

- Promote FP7 SSH programme implementation

- Provide matchmaking tools for engaging in the SSH 2012 call for proposals.  

On day three NET4SOCIETY will provide a targeted matchmaking session focusing on social innovation topics in the 2012 FP7 Socio-economic Sciences and Humanities call for proposals, supported by the European Commission.   For further information and registration details please visit http://www.socialinnovation2011.eu/.

A conference on the theme «‘New Monarchy’: Rethinking the Relations of Elites and Princes in Europe’s Iron Century - 1590s to 1720s» will take place between 5th & 9th September 2011 in Scandic Linköping Vast, Linköping in Sweden.

 Αn event will be organised by the EU-funded «Internet for the Future» (Paradiso) project entitled «Internet and Societies». In a few short years, the internet has become a feature of everyday life in Europe and around the world. While it has the power to impact and transform societies in the long-term, the internet should also be adapted to the needs of tomorrow's societies. This is particularly true if societal paradigm shifts and a truly sustainable future are envisioned. This event will take place during 7th – 9th of September 2011 in Brussels, Belgium.

An international information and matchmaking event in the field of research-related societal aspects of security entitled «Conflict and Peace in a Changing International Context» took place on the 6th & 7th of July 2011 in Brussels. This event was jointly organized by the German National Contact Point for Socio-Economic Sciences and the Humanities (SSH NCP) and NET4SOCIETY, in cooperation with the European Commission. The aim of the Conference was to highlight research topics related to societal aspects of security within the “Socio-economic sciences and Humanities” (SSH) and “Security” priority areas of the specific programme “Cooperation” of the 7th EU Framework Programme (FP7) and to bring together the respective international scientific communities to foster cooperative, interdisciplinary research in this field. For further information please visit http://www.b2match.eu/securingeurope.    

The 19th European Social Services Conference was organised by the European Social Network (ESN), in cooperation with the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union on 6th-8th July 2011, in Warsaw, Poland.  

A workshop on «Social Choice and Artificial Intelligence» focused on social choice and artificial intelligence, looking at research on new challenges and research directions for the field. This workshop was held on the 16th of July 2011 in Barcelona, Spain.  

A Conference entitled «Revisiting the Contact Zone: Museums, Theory, Practice» will be a platform for exchange, reflecting on the new EU-wide interest in museums as spaces of cultural encounter that occupy a unique position at the junction between 'the local', 'the national' and 'the global'. It will also be a chance to debate the potential for museums as a meeting place for a wide range of academic subjects and non-academic participants. It was held during 17th-21st July 2011 in Linköping in Sweden.

Further information on the abovementioned SSH EU Events is available on: http://www.net4society.eu/public/events.php 

Members of the NET4SOCIETY network are in daily contact with researchers from their national SSH communities. Utilising these connnections NET4SOCIETY recently initiated a survey of Social Sciences and Humanities researchers. The survey particularly targeted researchers who have either submitted proposals in FP7 or gained experience in FP5 or FP6.

The results of this survey helped to draw up recommendations on how to improve conditions for researchers and EU research funding for SSH in the future of  FP7 and beyond. The published report “SSH experiences with FP7 – a commentary“, is available on the CORDIS, EUROPA and NET4SOCIETY websites: www.net4society.eu/public/survey.    

During the recent Green Paper consultation process “From Challenges to Opportunities: Towards a Common Strategic Framework for EU Research and Innovation funding”, SSH researchers were invited to send  their consultation responses to NET4SOCIETY. The integrated input from these submissions formed the basis for the NET4SOCIETY Green Paper position paper, available at: http://www.net4society.eu/public/green-paper-2013.php  

NET4SOCIETY will shortly publish the report “Opportunities for researchers in SSH”, which is a collection of topics in all FP7 Specific Programmes (Cooperation, Ideas, People, Capacities), which have relevance for Socio-economic Sciences and Humanities researchers.   Through these and the many other project activities, the network will continue its efforts to strengthen the knowledge base of the SSH scientific community. For more NET4SOCIETY information see www.net4society.eu.