Dear colleagues,

With this message we would like to invite you to sign an Open Letter addressed to the European
Commissioner for Research and Innovation (http://www.eash.eu/openletter2011/), which highlights some
oI the vital insights that Socio-economic Sciences and Humanities (SSH) can contribute to addressing
Europe`s and the world`s Grand Societal Challenges.
Kindly circulate this invitation to sign also across your institutions, and through your networks,
projects and subject associations.
First results oI this initiative to strengthen the SSH-component in 'Horizon 2020 were presented to
Commissioner Geoghegan-Quinn on 10 November 2011. During a day symposium on the role oI SSH in
'Horizon 2020 in London, the Commissioner expressed her appreciation Ior the mobilisation oI the
community towards strengthening the SSH domain in the new Framework Programme (
http://www.allea.org/Content/ALLEA/SSH/Speech-Commissioner-09-11-11.pdI ).
Following this successIul exchange, we shall interact next (aIter 20 November ) with lawmakers in the
European Parliament and national political authorities. For we must bear in mind that in the past the SSH-
related Framework Programme component has been, time and again, in danger oI being eliminated at the end
oI negotiations between national governments, the European Parliament and the Commission; also, the size
oI the budget accessible Ior SSH-researchers is as yet Iar Irom being secured.
It would thereIore be useIul to collect Iurther support Irom a large cross-section oI the SSH- and SSH-related
research communities. AIter 20 November we shall do a Iirst analysis oI the signatures received and
publicise the results obtained that Iar through a press release inIorming also MEP`s as well as national
governments and parliamentarians.
In view oI legislative decisions to be taken on the next 100-Billion-worth EU Framework Programme
Hori:on 2020 (2014-2020), the letter stresses the necessity Ior a varied and strong research programme in the
Socio-economic Sciences and Humanities (SSH). It would be tantamount to undermining the EU strategy to
develop innovative, inclusive and sustainable societies, were there insuIIicient Iunding in Hori:on 2020 Ior
research areas such as cultural change, demography, education, the economy and globalisation, identity
politics and social cohesion, poverty relieI and global governance and many others. For background
inIormation on these matters see: http://www.eash.eu/openletter2011/
The Open Letter initiative has grown out oI deliberations among a number oI European umbrella
organisations in the area oI SSH, and seeks to bring to the attention oI the European Commission and
national governments the concerns oI the largest research community in Europe.
II you agree, that a substantial and independent SSH-centered research programme should be included in all
Iuture European Framework Programmes, we invite you to sign the Open Letter online at
http://www.eash.eu/openletter2011/. Kindly circulate this invitation to sign also across your institutions,
and through your networks, projects and subject associations.
Thank you in advance Ior signing and Ior supporting this initiative. Do not hesitate to contact us iI you have
any questions: openletter2011eash.eu
On behalI oI the Inter-agency Task Group on SSH in Europe (ALLEA ALL European Academies; ESF -
European Science Foundation: Standing Committees Ior the Humanities and Social Sciences; ECHIC -
European Consortium oI Humanities Institutes and Centres; Net4Society - Network oI SSH National Contact
Points), with endorsements Irom the SSH ERA-Nets and others
Dr. Ruediger Klein
Executive Director
European Federation oI National Academies oI Sciences and Humanities (ALLEA)