New report looks at SSH integration in the first years of Horizon Europe

The European Commission has published the first report on the integration of social sciences and humanities (SSH) in Horizon Europe. It provides data about budget, type of organisations and countries participating in the projects funded in the years 2021 to 2023. Some of the key findings are as follows:

• around 40% of all HE Pillar II topics were identified as highly relevant for SSH integration.
• €7.2 billion, or approximately 41% of the total budget for the period, was allocated to SSH-flagged topics. This is a notable increase from 33% under the previous Horizon 2020 programme.
• 88% of funded projects included at least one SSH partner, and SSH representatives accounted for 22% of all project partners.
• 42% of the projects had an SSH partner in a coordinating role.
• SSH involvement was highest in Cluster 5 (“Climate, Energy & Mobility”) and Cluster 6 (“Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture & Environment”), both at 21%, and in Cluster 3 (“Civil Security for Society”) at 20%. Clusters with lower involvement included Cluster 4 (“Digital, Industry & Space”) at 14%, and Cluster 1 (“Health”) at 12%.
• Italy, Germany, and Spain were the strongest contributors to SSH integration.

The report points to the importance of creating a common language among interdisciplinary partners and highlights the crucial role of management teams in fostering meaningful collaboration. Joint activities, such as the establishment of neighbourhood regeneration offices blending SSH and STEM approaches, have been identified as effective tools for collaboration and innovation.

Full evaluation of SSH integration in Horizon Europe will be possible after 2027, once the full budget of Horizon Europe is committed.

The report can be downloaded here:

Integration of Social Sciences and Humanities in Horizon Europe