Topic 1: Scholars’ perceptions of research quality and quality criteria
This call is now closed
Host institutions: FORS, located at the University of Lausanne (Switzerland), is the Swiss Competence Centre for Social Sciences and is specialised in the development and implementation of surveys, survey methodology and in management and archiving of social science data. The Professorship for Social Psychology and Research of Higher Education at the ETH Zurich is an internationally distinguished institute for bibliometrics and research evaluation. Michael Ochsner is responsible in the Action for the conceptual frameworks of SSH research evaluation and affiliated with both institutions.
Objectives: through the visit to Lausanne (and perhaps Zurich) to implement and analyse a survey regarding quality perceptions of SSH scholars in the applicant’s country that is comparable to the previous surveys conducted at ETH Zurich. The implementation of the survey takes place at Lausanne (and at the applicant’s university or in his or her country). The analysis will be in cooperation with ETH Zurich (either including a visit to Zurich or through remote collaboration).
Special criteria for this STSM: the applicant has knowledge of the organisation of SSH research in his or her country and thus be able to identify all SSH scholars working at (all or a selection of) the universities in his or her country. The applicant is able to fluidly communicate and write in English as well as in his or her country’s language(s).
Results: A survey and data ready for analysis. Form the base for a prolonged collaboration with the host institutions leading to at least one joint publication with Michael Ochsner and Sven E. Hug.
Practical details:
Working group: WG1 (conceptual frameworks for SSH research evaluation)
Duration: between two weeks and one month
Location: FORS, Lausanne (and maybe ETH Zurich), Switzerland
Contact: Michael Ochsner (ochsner@evalhum.eu)
Topic 2: Developing a typology of impact pathways for social sciences and the humanities
This call is now closed
Host institution: The Center for Higher Education and Policies Studies (CHEPS) at the University of Twente (The Netherlands) is responsible, through Dr. Paul Benneworth within ENRESSH for developing policy recommendations for improving the relevance and societal impact from Social Sciences and Humanities research. Working Group 2 (WG2) is currently assembling a set of circa 100 social sciences and humanities (SSH) case studies (narratives) of successful impact cases from more than 20 countries. These narratives will then be systematically analysed to better understanding and reflecting on the different kinds of pathways through which SSH research can achieve societal impact. This will then be synthesised to produce a systematic typology of impact reflecting diversity in Europe’s social sciences and humanities research base.
Objectives: through the visit CHEPS to analyse these SSH case studies and develop the systematic typology of SSH societal impact generation; to develop this typology and ensure its cognateness with extant perspectives on research impact generation in a range of European projects (including IMPACTO, Siampi, HERAVALUE, EV-Impact). The researcher will work closely with the WG2 co-ordinators to produce a robust evidence base for the policy development work.
Results: one or more joint publications on the societal impact of SSH research with Dr. Paul Benneworth and Dr. Julia Olmos Peñuela (vice-coordination of WG2, University of Valencia, Spain).
This STSM is will be supported by participants in WG2 who cover a wide range of that experience in res impact generation.
Special criteria for this STSM: preferably the applicant has to be familiar with science, research and innovation (policy) studies or have experience in generating impact.
Practical details:
Working group: WG2 (Societal impact and Relevance of the SSH)
Duration: 1–2 months
Location: University of Twente, Enschede, The Nederlands
Contact: Paul Benneworth (p.benneworth@utwente.nl)
Topic 3: Comparison of national and regional databases of social sciences and humanities research outcomes
This call is now closed
Host institution: The Centre for R&D Monitoring (ECOOM) at the University of Antwerp (Belgium) is responsible for the VABB-SHW, a comprehensive database of research output in the social sciences and humanities (SSH) in Flanders. The VABB-SHW has acted as data source for various studies by our group on publication patterns in SSH. It is currently largely unknown, however, to what extent the conclusions of these studies hold for SSH in general.
Objectives: through the visit to Antwerp to compare the VABB-SHW with databases used in other participating COST countries; to compare aspects like different types of publications, publication language, collaboration and productivity between two or more countries, both overall and at the level of SSH disciplines. As such, the STSM aims to contribute to tasks 1 and 2 of WG3 (see the memorandum of understanding).
Results: one or more joint publications and form the basis of a prolonged collaboration between ECOOM-Antwerp and the applicant’s institution.
Special criteria for this STSM: preferably the applicant has access to and is familiar with the data infrastructure in their own country or region.
Practical details:
Working group: WG3 (databases and uses of data for understanding SSH research)
Duration: between two weeks and three months
Location: University of Antwerp, Belgium
Contact: Raf Guns (raf.guns@uantwerpen.be)