CALL FOR PARTICIPATION IN TRAINING FOR TRAINING SCHOOL ON SOCIETAL RESEARCH IMPACT IN SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES
In February 2018, the European Network for Research Evaluation in Social Sciences and Humanities (ENRESSH) holds a training school in Zagreb, Croatia, on the theme of the societal impact of research in social sciences and humanities (www.enressh.eu)
ENRESSH is a 4 year research network (2016-19) funded by the European Co-Operation In Science and Technology (COST) mechanism exploring research evaluation in social sciences and humanities, and in particular the conceptual, practical and policy responses necessary to deal with the fact that SSH research is in many ways very different to science & technology disciplines that all too often form the basis for research and science policy (COST Action CA15137).
ENRESSH has a Working Group that is studying appropriate approaches to evaluating the wider social impact and public value of research in the social sciences and humanities. In the first year we have undertaken a taxonomy of SSH societal research impacts as well as organising a policy roundtable on policy approaches for SSH impact measurement. This year we are currently exploring how policy frameworks stimulate, motivate and drive researchers towards making their research more or less societally valuable.
As part of this, we are organising a Training School in Croatia in February 2018 to do two things; firstly to disseminate the lessons from the network’s activities to date, but also to mobilise a community of interested researchers who are interested in the network’s activities in the remainder of the project’s life. We therefore do not envisage a clear transmit/ receive split between trainers and participants but a higher-level think tank activity for slightly more experienced staff to create a dialogue between peers under the guidance of mentors.
The training school lasts for four days. The first three days are a mix of findings from the ENRESSH network, high-level keynote lectures, teamwork on problem solving and discussion groups, covering theories of SSH impact (Day 1), practices of SSH impact creation (Day 2), and policies for stimulating SSH Impact (Day 3). The final day involves a world café to bring the key discussion points from the first three days together to create a common knowledge base and closing statement. Each day will be led by a separate expert in these three areas, and each group activities will take place under the mentorship of an experienced SSH Impact research from the ENRESSH project.
We are currently inviting applications to attend from interested researchers, practitioners or policy-makers to participate in this dialogue. Application involves sending a short statement of motivation and an example of SSH research impact with which they are familiar. This research impact case will be used along with those of the other participants to ensure that the discussions remain grounded and help produce a shared understanding of participants in SSH research impact evaluation.
This training school is funded by COST, and each successful applicant will be awarded a travel bursary of €700 to cover their attendance (max 25 participants).
The closing date for the call for applications is 30th November 2017.
More information is available at the call for applications to attend here:
https://enressh.eu/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/CFP_ENRESSH_TS_impact.pdf
If you have any questions or comments then please do not hesitate to get into contact with the ENRESSH WG leader Paul Benneworth (paul.benneworth@utwente.nl).