Social sciences are ‘secret sauce’ for research impact success

The social sciences are the key ingredients to ensure research and innovation in the UK are fully optimised, according to a new report.

The report’s authors, the Academy of Social Sciences (AcSS) and Digital Science, believe the social sciences are poorly funded but vital contributors to the country’s research ecosystem.

Recent initiatives in the research and innovation (R&I) sector in the UK have placed a big priority on new technologies and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects, and a limited amount on the social sciences, they say.

“UK R&I policy and strategy is now at risk of becoming lopsided and missing an equivalently rich, textured and ambitious agenda for the many ways social science research and expertise contribute to addressing the UK’s economic, social and environmental priorities,” the authors say.

The paper outlines what it calls the key ingredients to a “secret sauce which can elevate research into a recipe that is genuinely unique and world-leading”.

The authors say social sciences enable whole-systems thinking, are critical for good policy development, underpin smart and responsible innovation, and are essential to international collaboration and tackling shared global challenges.

Juergen Wastl, a co-author and Digital Science’s vice-president for research evaluation and global challenges, said: “The report is a mixture of data-driven work and analysis, and the examples shared in the report showcase the essential role social sciences play in areas often regarded as purely STEM-focused, as well as the amplifying effect collaborative work can have across STEM and social science fields.

“Research that involves partnerships across these areas from the start can have a stronger impact and be more useful to policymakers.”

The authors hope the paper will provide guidance to policymakers, universities and research managers in understanding the value social sciences can bring to STEM research areas. They also want to provide evidence to decision-makers to encourage policy initiatives that better facilitate research and partnerships that cross STEM and social science disciplinary boundaries.

The paper says a further round of scaled-up investment is required in policy brokerage within universities and the wider research system to build on the contribution of university policy teams.

It calls for the social sciences to receive greater emphasis on strategies for the responsible development, governance and regulation of new and emerging technologies – including artificial intelligence.

The paper welcomes the recent agreement on UK association to Horizon Europe, but says it wants the UK government to ensure active participation in the remaining years of the scheme and to start planning now for a smooth transition into the European Union’s next framework programme.

patrick.jack@timeshighereducation.com