SSH Integration in Horizon Europe
“Social sciences and humanities research will be fully integrated into each of the priorities of Horizon Europe and each of the specific objectives and will contribute to the evidence base for policy making at international, Union, national, regional and local level. In relation to global challenges, social sciences and humanities will be mainstreamed as an essential element of the activities needed to tackle each of the global challenges to enhance their impact.”
Horizon Europe aims at including the SSH as a cross-cutting issue and consequently it is embedded into each pillar and objective of Horizon Europe. The idea is to fully integrate the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) disciplines together with the SSH tackling the complex societal issues of European societies. The Socio-economic sciences and Humanities include a wide range of disciplines, encompassing sociology and economics, psychology and political science, history and cultural sciences, law and ethics.
Background: A few definitions and a plea for a new understanding of SSH Integration
Interdisciplinarity: “Integration of information, data, techniques, tools, perspectives, concepts or theories from two or more disciplines. Disciplines may be from the natural sciences, technology, engineering, economics, Social Sciences and Humanities.[1]
Transdisciplinarity: “Approaches and methodologies that integrate as necessary a) theories, concepts, knowledge, data, and techniques from two or more scientific disciplines; and b) non-academic and non-formalized knowledge.[2]
SSH Integration: “Contributions of Social Sciences and Humanities which are part of an interdisciplinary approach, involving collaboration between SSH disciplines and non-SSH disciplines, such as natural sciences, physical and bio-sciences, medicine, engineering sciences and technology.”[3]
SSH Integration in practice
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The European Commission has "flagged" topics in Horizon Europe calls that require the inclusion of SSH research.
Topics dedicated to SSH Research
- The solutions to the challenge and problems that the topic presents are connected only to the SSH disciplines.
- Consortium composed by researchers coming from the SSH disciplines
Topics with a significant SSH component
- SSH researchers must be part of the consortium.
- Solutions must be the result of integration between STEM and SSH disciplines
How to find SSH-flagged topics?
On the Funding & Tenders Opportunities Portal is a full list with all the topics considered as dedicated or relevant for SSH.
Opportunities for SSH Researchers
In addition to the search engine on the Funding & tender opportunities portal this document is designed to help potential proposers find SSH-related topics across the different parts of Horizon Europe in Work Programmes 2021-2022.
The document is published by Bridge2HE and includes SSH relevant topics in all parts of Horizon Europe within the context of the Work Programme 2021/2022.
SSH integration works
Net4Society developed a compilation of success stories which highlight best practice examples of successful SSH integration in Horizon 2020, the previous programme for research and innovation.
Another factsheet explains key issues and good practices to successfully integrate the social sciences and humanities in research projects funded under Horizon 2020.
How to find partners for interdisciplinary calls?
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Topics under Cluster 2
Currently there is no official partner search portal available. Please contact your national NCP for more support.
Topics under other Horizon Europe programmes
Health, demographic change and wellbeing
Nanotechnologies, Advanced materials, Biotechnology, Advanced manufacturing and processing