Next Steps in Securing the Sustainability of the European Social Survey, European Research Infrastructure Consortium

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.

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.

The ESS ERIC Consortium delivered 3 of the 6 deliverables due and 10 of the 13 milestones were met. There were 2 planned Consortium meetings and 2 Extraordinary Consortium meetings in the period as well as quarterly management meetings to keep the project on track. The pandemic caused some delays and changes to ways of working and delivery however remedial action in some areas has helped to minimise the risk to the project.

WP2 saw detailed work on planning possible new links with the European Values Survey get underway, whilst also seeing wider and deeper links with surveys outside of Europe. Together these activities enhance the value of ESS data promoting sustainability.

WP3 saw the first of the ESS impact events held on the theme of ESS health data. In addition, an impact evaluation was commissioned and launched that will report in the second half of the project. The evaluation will highlight both academic and non-academic impact.

WP4 saw ESS membership and participation increase and regional committees established in Southern Europe and the Western Balkans to help strengthen engagement with the ESS there.

WP5 saw the ESS provide a harmonised technology solution for data collection implemented for the first time in 11 countries, including the use of the same digital survey. Proposed face-to-face tuition was postponed and deferred until the second half of the project in response to the pandemic when it will be delivered face-to-face.

WP6 saw significant preparation for the launch of a 12 country web panel recruited as part of ESS Round 10 face-to-face fieldwork. However as Round 10 was delayed due to the pandemic the panel itself will not be launched until the second half of the project. WP7 which aims to plan how to sustain the panel after the project ends, was delayed until the second half of the project once the success or otherwise of the panel implementation is clearer.

Finally, WP8 ensured the project complied with all ethical and GDPR (data protection) requirements.