Educational research in the 7th Framework programme for research and

technologyManuela Alfé

European Commission – DG ResearchUnit “Research in the economic,

social sciences and humanities – Prospective”

Socio-Economic Sciences and Humanities

EU RESEARCH POLICY

EU Research Policy:Overall objectives and

means• to strengthen the scientific and technological

bases of the Community industry, supporting competitiveness, citizen welfare and

• To support other EU policies

– By the implementation of Research and Technological Development Programmes

– By the promotion of co-operation and co-ordination in the field of Community and Member States research including with third countries and international organisations

– By the dissemination of the results of Community Research

– By stimulating the training and mobility of researchers in the EU

EU Research Policy: Implementation

• Framework Programme 7 (FP7) is the EU's main instrument for funding research in Europe and it will run from 2007-2013. FP7 is a key tool designed to respond to Europe's employment needs, competitiveness and quality of life.

• One of the main features of FP7 is to ensure “European added value” so to complement and boost the effectiveness of National research programmes.

EU Research Policy: Implementation

• FP7 is organised in 4 specific programmes:– Co-operation (10 thematic areas

including health, industrial technologies, social science, security, information & communication technologies…)

– Ideas (frontier research)– People (training and mobility)– Capacities (infrastructures)

FP7 budget (€ 50 521 million, current prices)

€ million

Ideas; 7 510

People; 4 750

Capacities; 4 097 JRC (EC); 1 751

Cooperation, 32 413

Note: Euratom FP: €2.7 billion over 5 years - not included above

The Cooperation specific programme– the budget

Socio-Economic Sciences and Humanities (SSH) in FP7

ERC - ‘Ideas’ Programme:

Six SSH Panels

ERC - ‘Ideas’ Programme:

Six SSH Panels

‘Capacities’ Programme:

•Infrastructures•Science in Society

‘Capacities’ Programme:

•Infrastructures•Science in Society

‘Cooperation’ Programme:

•Theme 8: SSH•SSH in other Themes

‘Cooperation’ Programme:

•Theme 8: SSH•SSH in other Themes

‘Cooperation’ Programme

Socio-Economic Sciences and Humanities:

• In many Cooperation “Themes” like food, agriculture, environment, energy, transport…

• In Theme 8 : specific programme SSH with a substantial increase of the budget EUR 623 millions (2007-2013)

The Cooperation specific programme– Collaborative Research

1. Health2. Food, agriculture and fisheries, and biotechnology3. Information and communication technologies4. Nanosciences, nanotechnologies, materials

and new production technologies5. Energy6. Environment (including climate change)7. Transport (including aeronautics)8. Socio-economic sciences and the humanities9. Space10.Security

Euratom: Fusion energy research, nuclear fissionand radiation protection

Ten themes

SSH, theme 8, of the “Cooperation” Specific Programme (FP7) : the Bases

• The European Research Area• Lisbon Strategy• Barcelona Target 3%• Freedom of knowledge: The fifth EU freedom –

Ljubljana process• Europe 2020 - EU Innovation Union and other

flagship policies

SSH, theme 8, of the “Cooperation” Specific

Programme (FP7)• Addressing major challenges facing EU and the World :

growth, employment, competitiveness, education, knowledge society.

combining economic, social and environmental objectives: energy, agriculture, rural and urban issues.

major trends in Society: demography, quality of life, cultural interactions.

global interactions and interdependence; conflicts and peace.

participation, democracy, governance; European diversities and commonalities.

SSH Research Activities

Five Activities based on major challenges for the EU: Growth, employment and competitiveness in a knowledge

society Combining economic, social and environmental objectives

in a European perspective Major trends in society and their implications Europe in the world The Citizen in the EU

Two “cross-cutting” Activities:• Socio-economic and scientific indicators

• Foresight activity

Plus a few horizontal supporting activites

The 2011 Work Programme: Policy links

The SSH 2011 Work Programme supports the current EU policy priorities (e.g. Europe 2020 Strategy)

Three main priorities of the Europe 2020 strategy:

(1)Smart growth: developing an economy based on knowledge and innovation;

(2)Sustainable growth: promoting a more resource efficient, greener and more competitive economy; and

(3) Inclusive growth: fostering a high-employment economy delivering social and territorial cohesion.

Administrative Structure of the Work Programme

• 1st call (FP7-SSH-2011-1): total budget of EUR 40 million to support Collaborative projects (large scale integrating projects) and a Collaborative project (large scale integrating project) for specific cooperation action dedicated to international cooperation.

• 2nd call (FP7-SSH-2011-2): total budget of EUR 29.7 million to support Collaborative projects (small or medium-scale focused research projects), a Collaborative project (small or medium-scale focused research project) for specific cooperation action dedicated to international cooperation and a BSG-CSO scheme (Research for the Benefit of Specific Groups - Civil Society Organisations).

• 3rd call (FP7-SSH-2011-3) : a total budget of EUR 6.3 million to support Coordination and support actions (supporting actions), a Coordination and Support Action (coordinating action) and a BSG-CSO scheme (Research for the Benefit of Specific Groups - Civil Society Organisations).

• The work programme contains also two ERA-Net projects that form part of a horizontal ERA-Net Call and public procurement actions and grants to identified beneficiaries

Over 10% increase in the total budget compared to 2010 Work Programme

Deadlines and timeline• Calls 1, 2 and 3: Common deadline: 2nd February 2011

• Electronic Proposal submission through EPSS

• Indicative evaluation and contractual timetable: evaluation of proposals in May 2011 and first grant agreements expected to be signed in November 2011.

• The two ERA-Net projects form part of the horizontal ERA-Net call (Deadline of 22nd February 2011). Please consult Annex 2 to the “Cooperation” Work Programme. ERA-Net projects are restricted to programme owners/ programme managers

The second call FP7-SSH-(2011-2)

• Maximum EU contribution per project: EUR 2.7 million

• Funding scheme: Collaborative project (small or medium-scale focused research project)

• Eligibility conditions: At least 3 independent legal entities, each of which is established in a MS or AC, and no 2 of which are established in the same MS or AC.

The second call (FP7-SSH-2011-2): Topics identified

• Activity 8.1 'Growth, employment and competitiveness in a knowledge society – the European case' will address the following topics: Lifelong learning in Europe: appropriate skills for sustaining better jobs

• Main themes:– Skills development, growth and innovation– Equality and social cohesion. – Reconciliation of economic and social needs with individual

aspiration– Analysis, assessment and monitoring of Lifelong learning

policies, in linkage with education and training, formal and informal learning

– “Employee-driven innovation concept" – Research should also acknowledge that the contribution of

informal– Combination of theoretical and empirical work (based on

some key industrial or service sectors)

Evaluation criteria

• Each proposal will be evaluated by ‘peer review’ by a minimum of 3 experts

• The three evaluation criteria are: - Scientific and/or technological excellence (relevant to the topics

addressed by the call)- Quality and efficiency of the implementation and the

management - Potential impact through the development, dissemination and

use of project results

• Thresholds: minimum 3/5 for each criterion and minimum total of 10/15

See the detailed description of the eligibility and evaluation criteria in Annex 2 of the ‘Cooperation’ Specific Programme Work Programme and annex 2 of the relevant Guide for Applicants;

Full Proposal

Proposalforms

Evaluators

Eligibility

Evaluators Evaluators Final rankinglist

PanelSubmission ConsensusIndividual readings

Proposals insuggestedpriority order

Rejection list

Finalisation

CriteriaCriteria Criteria

COMMISSION COMMISSION

May

be

“rem

ote”

Role of experts

Evaluation process

EU Educational Research:main topics funded so far

(FP6 and FP7)

– Knowledge and skills (Lisbon strategy)– Lifelong learning– Education and employment– Inclusion and cohesion– Youth– Culture and citizenship

• Workprogramme 2009: SSH-2009 - 1.1.1. Education in a European knowledge society

WORKABLE (Making Capabilities work):– The project will provide knowledge on how to

enable young people to function as capable citizens in the labour markets of European knowledge societies. It assesses the political and institutional strategies aiming to cope with the high rates of youth unemployment, early school leaving and dropouts from upper secondary education.

– Started on 1st of November 2009 (duration: 36 months)

EU Educational Research: FP7 projects /1

Workprogramme 2009: SSH-2009 - 1.1.1. Education in a European knowledge society

GOETE: (Governance of Educational Trajectories in Europe. Access, coping and relevance of education for young people in European knowledge societies in comparative perspective)

• Analysis of the role of school in re-conceptualising education in terms of lifelong learning by combining a life course and a governance perspective.

• Period covered: from transition into lower secondary education to transition into upper secondary education/vocational education and training

• Comparative analysis on the regulation of access to education and support measures for coping with education and securing the relevance of education for social integration and the labour market.

• The project reflects the need for formal education to be embedded in social life worlds, enabled by social support, and complemented by informal and non-formal learning.

• Project started on 1.01.2010

EU Educational Research: FP7 projects /2

EU Educational Research: The future

Indicative Strategic Research Roadmap in SSH (2011-2013)

• List and rationale for challenges and topics envisaged for the upcoming years.

• Better planning and coordination within the research community.

• Legally non-binding for the European Commission. Only serves information purposes.

• http://ec.europa.eu/research/social-sciences/pdf/roadmap-2011-2013-final_en.pdf

Indicative Strategic Research Roadmap: challenges

• 2011 (published SSH WP 2011 ):– Lifelong learning in Europe: appropriate

skills for sustaining better jobs

• Beyond 2011:– Adapting evolving educational systems to

societal transformation– Early childhood care and the cost of education

inequities – Children and intolerance

EU Educational Research: The future (2)

Additional info at:

http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/ssh/home_en.html

http://ec.europa.eu/research/social-sciences/index_en.html

• “European Research on Education and Training - "Socio-economic Sciences and Humanities" Programme

http://ec.europa.eu/research/social-sciences/pdf/european-research-on-education-and-training_en.pdf

• Education, Policy review series n°4 http://ec.europa.eu/research/social-sciences/pdf/eur22090_final_en.pdf

More information

EU research: http://ec.europa.eu/research/

Thank you for your attention!

Manuela.alfe@ec.europa.eu