This training school provides participants with insights into the theories and practices of stimulating impact creation from social sciences and humanities research. It will focuses on three specific dimensions. Firstly, creating a conceptual understanding on the specificities of social sciences and humanities (SSH) impact and non-­linear impact models. Secondly, alternative appropriate policy frameworks for maximising SSH impact. Finally, we will explore ways of supporting scholarly practices to optimise the creation of impact through SSH research, and capturing this with evaluation systems.

COST Action CA15137 Training School 2018 – Call for trainees

Theme: Understanding and stimulating SSH impact and engagement with society

Date and location: 12-16 February 2018

Local host: Institute of Social Sciences Ivo Pilar (Croatia) Venue: Marulićev trg 19/I , PO Box 277, 10000 Zagreb About this training school

Presentation

This training school provides participants with insights into the theories and practices of stimulating impact creation from social sciences and humanities research. This training school is organised within the framework of the COST Network European Network for Research Evaluation of the Social Sciences and Humanities ENRESSH (www.enressh.eu) and forms part of the Impact Working Group. The training school will focuses on three specific dimensions. Firstly, creating  a  conceptual  understanding  on  the  specificities  of  SSH  impact  and  non-­‐ linear impact models. Secondly, alternative appropriate policy frameworks for maximising SSH impact. Finally, we will explore ways of supporting scholarly practices to optimise the creation of impact through SSH research, and capturing this with evaluation systems.

Learning outcomes

Having completed the training school, participants are expected to be able to:

1. Explain the principles of creating societal impact from research

2. Distinguish different pathways for creating research appropriate to different contexts

3. Apply these impact pathways to create recommendations for their own research and other research with which they are familiar

4. Analyse case studies of impact creation to highlight barriers and drivers underpinning and reducing the effectiveness of impact

5. Propose country-specific policy interventions to improve the volume and quality of impact creation from SSH research activities

6. Produce a non-academic summary of a research project indicating potential audiences for that research activity.

Practical details

The duration of this Training School is four working days (Trainees to arrive in Croatia on 12/02 and depart on 16/02).

A grant of up to 700 euros (up to 400 euros for the residents of the country where the training school is organised) will be provided for accepted participants as a contribution to the travelling costs, accommodation and subsistence during the Training School. 

About the "European Network for Research Evaluation in the Social Sciences and the Humanities"

The “European Network for Research Evaluation in the Social Sciences and the Humanities” (ENRESSH) is a COST action focused on mapping all aspects of research evaluation across Europe and providing clear best practices in the field. Researchers in evaluation studies, policy makers and members of evaluation units, as well as researchers from SSH disciplines compare strands of work dedicated to SSH research evaluation, aiming at better understanding quality representations and research practices of SSH scholars, and reflecting at how to translate them into robust and accepted evaluation practices.

COST is the longest-running European framework supporting trans-national cooperation among researchers and scholars across Europe. It was created in 1971 to bridge the gap between science, policy makers and society. The framework supports the mobility of researchers across Europe and fosters the establishment of scientific excellence. COST also plays an important role in building a European Research Area.

Application process

Researchers at different ranks are eligible to apply to the training school, including graduate and PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, research managers and administrators, etc. However, priority will be given to early career investigators (PhD + 8), as well as to trainees from inclusiveness target countries (see: http://www.cost.eu/about_cost/strategy/excellence-inclusiveness).

Researchers from any branch of humanities and social sciences are welcome to apply, provided that they have an interest in SSH research impact and can provide a practical example of SSH research with the potential to create impact (see below).

Applicants to the training school asking for funding should submit:

1. A motivation letter, not exceeding one page that provides a clear indication of experience relevant to the topic of the training school; provide a rationale of why you are interested in the training school and how you envisage the training school to contribute to your learning, career and research objectives.

2. An SSH research impact summary: a 250 word overview of a piece of SSH research with which the researcher is familiar which has potential to create or has been associated with the creation of research impact (this case will be used by participants in the hands-on training sessions). 

3. A short CV (2 pages max)

Please submit the applications to : p.benneworth@utwente.nl

The applicant will be informed about acceptance for grant via email.

Applicants that will not receive a grant can participate with their own or their institutes funding. 

Closing date for applications: 30/11/2017

About the hosts

The training school will be hosted by The Institute of Social Sciences Ivo Pilar, Croatia in their Zagreb headquarters. The Institute was founded by a decision of the University Assembly of the University of Zagreb on November 26, 1991, and in 1993 it became a public institute of the Republic of Croatia. The Institute also oversees a network of regional centers in Osijek, Split, Pula, Vukovar, Gospić, and Dubrovnik.

Institute Ivo Pilar’s research activity covers almost the entire spectrum of humanities and social sciences: sociology, psychology, political science, history, philosophy, anthropology, theology, demography, and economy. Impact creation is at the heart of the Institute’s mission, researching social structure and integration to facilitate the development of social inclusion dynamics and structures appropriate to Croatian society’s long-term developmental goals.

For more information on the location follow this link.

Selection committee

• Dr. Paul Benneworth, principal researcher, Center for Higher Education Policy Studies (CHEPS), University of Twente (p.benneworth@utwente.nl, main contact)
• Dr. Reetta Muhonen, Postdoctoral researcher, TaSTI 2015-2020, Visiting researcher at CHEPS, University of Twente (Reetta.Muhonen@staff.uta.fi)
• Dr. Julia Olmos-Penuela, Researcher at the Institute for Innovation and Knowledge Management (INGENIO), a joint Institute of the Spanish Council for Scientific Research and the Polytechnic University of Valencia (julia.olmos@uv.es)

Preliminary  programme

Day 1. Monday 12th of February 

Arrival of the trainees

Day 2. Tuesday 13th of February Understanding impact

• 10h Welcome to participants. Organisation of the TS 10h30 Presentation of participants
• 11h-­13h: Lecture on the principles of understanding the Societal Impact of SSH Research
• 14h-15h30: hands-­on session part 1: analysing case studies
• 16h-­1730: hands-­on session part 2: presenting & discussing case studies
• 19h-­20h30: evening social session

Day 3. Wednesday 14th of February Evaluating impact

• 9h-­10h30: Lecture
• 11h-­13h: Second lecture: the principles of evaluating research, research impact and SSH research impact
• 14h-­15h30 hands-­on session part 1 Evaluation Game pt 1 – evaluating local case studies
• 16h-­17h30 hands-­on session part 2 Evaluation Game pt 2 – reflecting on the strengths and weaknesses of evaluation frameworks
• 19h-­20h30: evening informal social session 

Day 4. Thursday 15th of February Stimulating impact (political, organisational and societal conditions stimulating impact)/ Engaging with policy makers

• 9h-­10h30: Lecture: policies for impact creation in a long-­‐term perspective
• 11h-­13h: Hands-on session 1 Identifying the drivers & barriers to impact creation
• 14h-­15h30 Lecture 2 – the future of European SSH Research Impact Evaluation
• 16h-­17h30 hands-­on session part 2: developing a European policy agenda for improving SSH research Impact
• 19h: Dinner of the TS 

Day 5. Friday 16th of February Producing policy briefs

• 9h-­12h Production of policy briefs in world café setting
• 12h: end of TS: award of certificates