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Next Steps in Securing the Sustainability of the European Social Survey, European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ESS-SUSTAIN-2)

Project description

Support for the ESS to continue providing cross-national data

The European Social Survey (ESS) is an academically driven cross-national survey that has been conducted across Europe since its establishment in 2001. Every two years, face-to-face interviews are conducted with newly selected, cross-sectional samples. The survey measures the attitudes, beliefs and behaviour patterns of diverse populations in more than 30 nations. The EU-funded ESS-SUSTAIN-2 project will develop a plan to ensure the sustainability of the ESS European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ESS ERIC), which should have generous national coverage and remain resilient towards future challenges. Specifically, the project will create sustainability through a structural strengthening of the ESS and by future proofing the infrastructure. Moreover, it will link the ESS with the European Values Survey, establish global partners, engage with policymakers and improve the technology.

Objective

This proposal outlines a detailed plan for ensuring the sustainability of one of Europe’s leading social science research infrastructures - the European Social Survey, European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ESS ERIC). As a comparative general social survey the ESS needs to have generous national coverage to provide analytical power and ensure it keeps up with the changing scientific and research infrastructure landscape. Failure in one or more of these areas could damage or even destroy the infrastructure. This grant will substantially reduce the risk by securing the medium-term sustainability of the infrastructure and making it more resilient towards future challenges. The ESS has responded effectively to the ESFRI approach since it became an ERIC in 2013 and receives sizeable financial contributions from its members for core activities.

ESS-SUSTAIN-2 aims to build on that support and creates sustainability through a structural strengthening of the ESS and by future proofing the infrastructure. ESS is not seeking another few years Commission funding to keep it afloat, an approach unlikely to yield long-term sustainability (and in any event these costs are now met by ERIC members). Rather it seeks a vital helping hand to help complete the transition of the ESS into a research infrastructure that is financially sound and scientifically equipped for the future. By developing links with the European Values Survey, establishing global partners, engaging with policy makers, harnessing technology to improve efficiency and cost effectiveness and launching the world’s first probability-based online panel, this proposal aims to give the European Social Survey the strongest possible foundation to succeed in the years ahead.

Fields of science

Call for proposal

H2020-INFRADEV-2018-2020

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Sub call

H2020-INFRADEV-2019-2

Coordinator

EUROPEAN SOCIAL SURVEY EUROPEAN RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE CONSORTIUM
Net EU contribution
€ 173 086,50
Address
ESS ERIC HEADQUARTERS CITY, UNIVERSITY of LONDON NOTHAMPTON SQUARE
EC1V 0HB London
United Kingdom

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Region
London Inner London — East Haringey and Islington
Activity type
Research Organisations
Links
Total cost
€ 1 937 805,25

Participants (22)