Analytic Report of Research Ecosystem of Social Sciences and Humanities

LATVIAN SMART SPECIALISATION STRATEGY (RIS3) AREA WITH HORIZONTAL IMPACT Social Sciences and Humanities ANALYTICAL REVIEW OF THE RESEARCH ECOSYSTEM (2014–2018)

This report was prepared as a part of the ERDF project No. 1.1.1.5/17/I/002 within the framework of “Integrated national-level measures for strengthening interest representation for research and development of Latvia as part of European Research Area”

THE NATIONAL EUROPEAN UNION DEVELOPMENT Ministry of European Regional Education and Science PLAN 2014-2020 Development Fund

INVESTMENT IN YOUR FUTURE Abbreviations

H2020 – EU Framework Programme NDP – National Development Plan “Horizon 2020” R&D – Research and Development BSC – “Baltic Studies Centre” R&I – Research and Innovation DU – University of Daugavpils CSCC – Cross–Sectoral Coordination EU – European Union Centre EU–28 – European Union member states RIS3 – Research and Innovation Strategy FARP – Fundamental and Applied for Smart Specialization Research Projects RSU – Rīga Stradiņš University SDGs – United Nations Sustainable RTA – Rezekne Academy of Technologies Development Goals RTU – Riga Technical University ULiep –University of Liepāja SSH – Social Sciences and Humanities LKA – Latvian Academy of Culture SSE Riga – Stockholm School of LLU – Latvia University of Life Sciences Economics in Riga and Technologies ViA – Vidzeme University of Applied LMA – Latvian Art Academy Sciences LNB – National Library of Latvia VentA –Ventspils University College UL – University of Latvia SRP – State Research Programme LZA – Latvian Academy of Sciences RI – Research Institution Content

Summary �� 6

Introduction �� 8

1. The SSH specialisation area �� 9 1.1. Data used and data analysis �� 9

2. The potential of SSH in RIS3 �� 10 2.1. Smart Specialisation Strategy �� 10

2.2. Social sciences and humanities impact ecosystem �� 10

2.3. Contributions to other research fields �� 11

2.4. Horizontal contribution to RIS3 �� 11

3. R&D competencies in Latvia �� 13 3.1. Social sciences and humanities funding programmes �� 13

3.2. Projects funded by thematic group and topic �� 13

3.3. Regional performance �� 14

4. Research capacity in social sciences and humanities �� 18 4.1. Human resources in research institutions �� 18

4.2. Students �� 21

5. Excellence in research �� 25 5.1. Research publications in social sciences and humanities �� 25

5.2. Research excellence in social sciences and humanities �� 28

6. Research collaboration �� 33 6.1. Collaboration on the national level �� 33

6.2. International cooperation �� 33

6.3. Activities within the Horizon 2020 framework programme �� 35

7. Challenges in social sciences and humanities �� 40

8. Research institutions �� 41 Summary

Social sciences and humanities provide University, Art Academy of Latvia, Latvian a horizontal contribution to five areas of Academy of Culture, Vidzeme University the Latvian Smart Specialisation Strategy of Applied Sciences and other1 research (RIS3). For the purpose of research policy institutions (RI). planning and monitoring, social sciences In the reporting period, SSH research and humanities are given the same status was primarily financed through the State as the other RIS3 areas. The contribution Research Programs (SRP) — 11.7 million of SSH to RIS3 manifests itself in various euros, the EU Horizon 2020 framework ways: by developing the human resources programme — 6.912 million euros, necessary to transform the economy, by the Theoretical and Applied Research disseminating the results of research in Projects (TARP) — 5.8 million euros, other RIS3 areas and boosting research as well as the post-doctoral research impact, by identifying challenges in support programme, the applied society, by analysing the effectiveness of research programme, and other research activities, initiatives and organisations, commissioned by public administration and by conducting research in economics. bodies, the Bank of Latvia and other Social sciences and humanities policy-making institutions. contribute towards achieving the UN Within the SSH RIS3 area, the main Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), challenges are ensuring high-quality the Sustainable Development Strategy participation in interdisciplinary projects; of Latvia until 2030 and the National increasing the horizontal contributions Development Plan (NDP). to other research fields; achieving and Thematically, Latvia has well-developed demonstrating research impact; using capacity in Latvian studies, economic and transferring specific and in-demand transformation research, economics, research methods and skills. culture and creative industries, migration SSH research is affected by global trends and diaspora research, inclusive society, such as the digitisation of science and teaching and education technologies, an increased need for specific skills; a public sector innovations, sustainable necessity to increasingly specialise and growth, foreign policy and international to continue to integrate in the global relations, computational linguistics and research environment. More than ever various other, more specialised fields. there is a need to demonstrate SSH The University of Latvia is the main research impact to various target groups, centre for research in social sciences and and to have research data management humanities, employing 48% of all SSH skills. National challenges in SSH include research staff in the country. Significant high workloads for researchers (including research activities also take place at the administrative and teaching workloads), Latvia University of Life Sciences and difficulty publishing high-impact articles Technologies, Riga Technical University, in the Latvian language, issues around Daugavpils University, Rīga Stradiņš academic integrity, and lack of sufficient

1 For a complete list of research institutions conducting research in social sciences and humanities, see Section 8 of this report. 2 Includes 2019 data.

6 Latvian smart specialisation strategy (RIS3) area with horizontal impact "Social Sciences and Humanities" Analytical review of the research ecosystem (2014–2018) knowledge in English to publish in international journals. In many international research programmes the success rate for SSH projects is very low. In the Horizon 2020 framework programme there is a lack of SSH projects coordinated by Latvian research institutions.

7 Introduction

Within the scope of the report, social The demand for research and impact sciences and humanities (SSH) are in social sciences and humanities is defined as the th5 and 6th Fields of largely driven by global and national Science in the Latvian national fields social challenges, such as the need to of science classification3 and OECD strengthen democracies, preserve and FoS classification. In the Latvian Smart popularise cultural heritage, support Specialisation Strategy, SSH is a field with social and economic transformations in a horizontal impact on other RIS3 areas. society and the economy. The demand for The horizontal contribution provided human resources, research methods and by SSH manifests itself on different skills for publishing and disseminating levels and in different areas, and it is not SSH research is driven by research in evenly distributed among RIS3 areas. other fields and the private sector. In Adequately measuring the impact and the context of sustainable development contribution of SSH is difficult. In addition goals4, social sciences and humanities to the direct horizontal contribution to foster societal transformations, the other RIS3 areas SSH creates a direct development of inclusive societies and benefit to the economy and society as compliance with ethical principles, a whole. Therefore, for the purposes of promoting intercultural dialogues.5 policy planning and monitoring, SSH In addition to this added value, SSH is equivalent to the other Latvian RIS3 research is expected to influence society areas. SSH contributes to the primary by promoting the understanding of RIS3 objective via research in economics various processes, identifying the links and business administration (e.g. market between various social and environmental research, improvements in the efficiency challenges, offering the public a broader of organisations and activities), labour perspective (phronesis) in various relevant market and migration research, as well topics, enriching the culture, and fostering as through knowledge transfer. Gender critical thinking. Closer ties of SSH research, behavioural economics, research impacts with economic transformation of narratives and attitudes, habits and goals are particularly important. The user experience provide a horizontal Latvia 2030 sustainable development contribution to all RIS3 areas. SSH strategy also notes that "environmental, research also supports the dissemination social and economic issues are closely and transfer of research findings in other interrelated, and must be solved in RIS3 areas. conjunction with one another".

3 https://likumi.lv/ta/id/296661-noteikumi-par-latvijas-zinatnes-nozarem-un-apaksnozarem 4 https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/ 5 https://en.unesco.org/sustainabledevelopmentgoalsforsocialandhumansciences

8 Latvian smart specialisation strategy (RIS3) area with horizontal impact "Social Sciences and Humanities" Analytical review of the research ecosystem (2014–2018) 1 The SSH specialisation area

1.1. Data used and data analysis

As part of the monitoring exercise, • National Research Information System SSH research was grouped according (NZDIS); to their respective research topics, • Web of Science and Scopus databases based on the topics of Theoretical and of scientific publications; Applied Research Projects (TARP), the • Ministry of Education and Science thematic groups of Horizon 2020 and statistics on higher education; the state research programmes (SRP), • Cohesion Policy Fund Management and according to a social sciences and Information Systems for 2014–2020; humanities expert panel review that took • Latvian Council of Science data on the place on 1 August 2019. The bibliometric Fundamental and Applied Research analysis was primarily based on Web of Programme and National Research Science data, including the Emerging Programmes; Sources Citation Index (ESCI). Data • European Commission CORDIS sources used in the preparation of the database on Horizon 2020 projects; report: • Eurostat data.

9 2 The potential of SSH in RIS3

2.1. Smart Specialisation Strategy

The goal of Latvia’s Smart Specialisation knowledge, investing in research and Strategy is to transform the national innovation, and in measures promoting economy, moving it up the value chain, them. An earlier report of the SSH RIS3 increasing the capacity of economic ecosystem was published in 20166.

2.2. Social sciences and humanities impact ecosystem

In the social sciences and humanities, gained through the research. Attributing the concept of research impact is research impact to specific research particularly important, encompassing all programmes or individual projects is changes that research can bring within difficult. There must be continued support the academic environments and beyond.7 for key impact pathways in promoting Although different research funders use research impact, policymakers must be different definitions of research impact, convinced to use more scientific evidence the understanding is that research must in their work, infrastructure must be in some way benefit the public or a some improved, and requirements must be other target group. Impact is created as a introduced to share publicly funded result of scientific work and dissemination research data. In addition, because of the measures to communicate the results of non-commercial nature of SSH research, such work. In SSH research, the impact it is necessary to adjust the RIS3 area component has a greater role than in ecosystem approach to SSH, creating a natural sciences, because bibliometric research impact ecosystem, developing indicators of excellence do not provide key impact pathways and connections a complete picture of the added value between stakeholders in the field.

Academic Societal Economic Policy Environmental impact impact impact impact impact Changes in the Enrichment of culture, More efficient use Changes in Less pollution and

academic field, preconception of resources, new developing, CO2 emissions improvements change, leading workplaces, GDP implementing and in theories or narrative, call to growth, better interpreting policy methodologies discussion productivity Figure 2.1. Types of research impact

6 https://www.izm.gov.lv/images/zinatne/SHZ_SOCIALIE.pdf 7 LZP "Ceļā uz ietekmi: palīgmateriāls iesniedzējiem un īstenotājiem", 2018.

10 Latvian smart specialisation strategy (RIS3) area with horizontal impact "Social Sciences and Humanities" Analytical review of the research ecosystem (2014–2018) One of the methods for conceptualising impact must be developed, and open research impact is the mapping of various science activities must be encouraged, types and pathways of research impact including the promoting the reuse of (see Figure 2.1). In order to build up SSH research data. Research impact can be research impact the impact guidelines measured through various indicators, for nationally-funded researchers must including Altmetrics, a set of alternative be updated; the key impact pathways bibliometric indicators that offer an must be improved; impact case studies interesting look at the publication of are needed to demonstrate and boost results of the work performed by Latvian research impact. These case studies must researchers on social media and in policy be communicated and put in a database documents; however, these indicators for use in science communication; cannot be used in policy planning reliably indicators for monitoring research due insufficiencies in the underlying data.

2.3. Contributions to other research fields

One of priorities of the Horizon 2020 as part of the Horizon Europe framework framework programme is promoting programme, paying more attention to the horizontal integration of SSH8 in specific successful forms of collaboration. research projects in other areas, in order The inclusion of horizontal integration to foster the implementation of solutions, in the agenda of the Horizon framework and to investigate the consequences programmes creates challenges and of scientific discoveries. The European opportunities for SSH researchers in Alliance for the Social Sciences and the Latvia. Those deliberately applying for Humanities (EASSH) has assessed the "SSH flagged" calls outside the social European Commission monitoring reports sciences programme (SC6) can expect on Horizontal integration of SSH into H2020, and concluded that the horizontal to have less competition in obtaining integration progress is poor9, identifying funding. However, a skills gap still exists the challenges and deficiencies that for SSH researchers making it more must be accounted for also when difficult to participate in interdisciplinary planning interdisciplinarity in national consortia where specific skills are programmes. It is planned to continue required, e.g. data analysis skills and legal integrating SSH in projects in other areas knowledge.

2.4. Horizontal contribution to RIS3

The horizontal contribution of social areas. Interdisciplinarity brings together sciences and humanities to other fields methods and knowledge from various of science manifests itself in various fields and topics in science. Horizontal areas and at different levels. In the contribution of SSH can be identified context of smart specialisation, it is not on the level of the individual via uniformly distributed across the RIS3 knowledge and skills (e.g. computational 8 https://op.europa.eu/s/nMiW 9 http://www.eassh.eu/PDF/PP_on_3report_on_SSH_integrationFNL.pdf\

11 linguistics mostly requires researchers knowledge provided by them can make with knowledge of programming and contributions to research in other fields. linguistics). Horizontal contribution can Conversely, expertise in other areas can be created at the level of individual result in contributions to SSH research. studies (consortia), by attaching an SSH The most common example of such researcher to a team of researchers interdisciplinarity is the cooperation with in other fields. In this model, the SSH ICT, e.g. in digital humanities, and the use partner is often involved for the purposes of big data and artificial intelligence in of distributing results, and boosting research. knowledge transfer and impact. In larger A more detailed analysis of the research programmes, interdisciplinarity interdisciplinary links between SSH can manifest itself at the level of project and the RIS3 areas in Latvia reveals tenders; for example, Horizon 2020 social that the horizontal contribution of SSH challenge programmes offer additional considerably differs in scope for different thematic tenders for SSH research RIS3 areas. Strong links can been found to as part of a broader field in research. ICT and weak links have been identified Interdisciplinarity can take place in to Smart Materials. various directions. The methods used in social sciences and humanities and

Interdisciplinary connections between RIS3 areas and social sciences and humanities

Smart specialisation Key interdisciplinary fields area

Computational linguistics and language technologies, Information and education technologies, e-democracy and e-government, communication digital humanities, technology policy and ethics, privacy and technologies data protection

Knowledge- Regional development, sustainable development, rural intensive development, marine and ocean studies, marine spatial bioeconomics planning, coastline economy

City and regional sustainable development assessment and planning; impact of energy transition on the environment and Smart energy socioeconomic development; socioeconomic analysis of energy engineering consumption and the market; availability of energy and energy poverty; planning of mobility systems

Biomedicine, Bioethics, public health, pharmacoeconomics, history of medical technology, medicine, medical ethics and deontology, anatomy in art, biopharmaceuticals zooanthropology and biotechnology

Occupational and environmental safety, market re-search, Smart materials, fashion and textile technology, material technology and design, technologies and engineering economics, architectural engineering, architectural engineering systems design, urban planning and development research

12 Latvian smart specialisation strategy (RIS3) area with horizontal impact "Social Sciences and Humanities" Analytical review of the research ecosystem (2014–2018) 3 R&D competencies in Latvia

3.1. Social sciences and humanities funding programmes

Within the 2014–2018 period, top- sources of SSH research funding are down nationally-funded SSH research the Post-doctoral research support (especially in humanities) was primarily programme (PostDoc) and Applied financed throughState Research research programme. Social sciences Programmes (SRPs), with a total funding research exceptionally high policy of 11.7 million euros. Due to specific impact is usually funded through studies consortium requirements, SRPs are commissioned by various government an important tool for encouraging bodies. The Cross-Sectoral Coordination cooperation between institutions in Centre (CSCC) has developed a database10 different regions of Latvia, research that includes the studies commissioned institutions and higher education and planned by different ministries. The institutions. Bottom-up research on database offers the options of filtering the national level is funded through studies by type, field, commissioning the Fundamental and Applied Research body and other parameters; however, the Projects programme (FARP), with a database cannot be used to collect data total funding of 5.8 million euros for on completed studies and sums cannot SSH research. This program focuses on be read in a machine-readable format. excellence when funding projects. In MoES has begun negotiations with the the 2014–2019 period SSH research CSCC with the intention of improving the received 6.9 million euros in funding government research database, by adding as part of the EU Horizon 2020 metadata fields and links to adequately framework programme. Other significant deposited publications and research data.

3.2. Projects funded by thematic group and topic

The largest thematic areas in SSH in Horizon funding. To increase the success terms of funding are cultural heritage rate for Latvian Studies and Comparative and Latvian studies and comparative Baltic Studies projects, more active Baltic studies, although their sources interest representation is needed in the of funding differ considerably. Research H2020 / Horizon Europe programme in Latvian studies is primarily financed committees. Researchers must be more through state research programmes. active in participating in Theoretical and Due to the design of SRPs, funding Applied Research Project (TARP) calls, gaps sometimes emerge for research demonstrating the value of their work to institutions. To address this issue, SRP international experts. funding must be complemented by

10 http://petijumi.mk.gov.lv/

13 The sustainable development thematic this important subfield in SSH research in group includes interdisciplinary projects Latvia. The public sector administration in bioeconomics. LLU, BSC and UL and innovation thematic group includes are well represented in the thematic applied research involving partners from group. Projects within the thematic the public sector with the purpose of group have been funded via Horizon finding solutions that its end users need. 2020 and the post-doctoral support Language technology and computational programme. In education technologies linguistics is one of the most important and innovations, have been funded by multiple programmes, across TRL fields in interdisciplinary research with levels and covering different researcher significant capacity at IMCS UL and career stages. On the subfield level, a SIA Tilde. The research shown in the broad range of research is carried out, table does not include all computational addressing national and international linguistics studies, because ICT projects challenges. Researchers in the field of are not classified as interdisciplinary SSH demographics, migration and diaspora research. There is a major lack of research studies are mostly (but not exclusively) capacity in economic methods and based at the University of Latvia Centre macroeconomics, with a small number for Diaspora and Migration Research, and of internationally competitive studies they have been able to obtain funding via conducted outside SSE Riga and the Bank a broad range of programmes, developing of Latvia.

3.3. Regional performance

In terms of regional distribution, SSH can partially be explained by the small research is concentrated in Riga and its overall number of project applications metropolitan area. Research, especially submitted. We are aware of a few cases in the humanities, is also conducted in when researchers in regional institutions Rēzekne, Valmiera, Liepāja, Ventspils, submitted failed applications for one Daugavpils and other cities. The Horizon or two Horizon 2020 projects, and felt 2020 framework programme shows unmotivated to participate in any further good coverage of project application, project competitions. In the long run, we though funded projects concentrate in need measures to motivate researchers Riga and its metropolitan area, Valmiera, to make more submissions, because less Cēsis, Priekuļi and Ventspils. The other than 20% of applications are granted regions’ apparently poor success in funding as part of the framework obtaining funding through Horizon 2020 programme.

14 Latvian smart specialisation strategy (RIS3) area with horizontal impact "Social Sciences and Humanities" Analytical review of the research ecosystem (2014–2018) Regional distribution of 2020 applications for social sciences and humanities projects (by municipality) (according to the location of the applicant)

submitted funded

Figure 3.2. Regional breakdown of Horizon 2020 submitted and completed projects

15 0% 0% 1% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 38% 14% 51% 81% 85% 80% 12% 11% 14% 59% 32% 2020 100% 100% Horizon

0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 52% 33% 33% 1111 100% research) (practical

5% 4% 3% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 40% 32% 58% 29% 15% 14% 19% 40% 28% 41% 68% 25% 1112 100% 100% (post-doc) 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 95% 82% 84% 31% 41% 56% State (SRP) research programmes 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 60% 13% 16% 42% 33% 10% 15% 67% 20% 34% 21% 86% 60% 19% 100% 100% 100% 100% (FARP) projects research Theoretical and applied war studies Disability e-services linguistics Narratives Urban policy and folk-lore policy, resilience macroeconomics Improvements in Improvements Transport/energy Tax and tax policy and tax Tax and development; and development; collective memory collective Research subfields Research and ethnic minority minority and ethnic Inequality and social Inequality Regional development Regional Heterogeneous society Heterogeneous Digital cultural heritage re-sources management re-sources Public and political trust Public perspectives; post-Soviet post-Soviet perspectives; Economic transformation transformation Economic Theology and philosophy Theology Identity policy and facets, and facets, policy Identity Landscapes and locations Landscapes Interdisciplinary research in Interdisciplinary Latvian and Baltic literature literature and Baltic Latvian competitiveness and human competitiveness agriculture and food science agriculture and food Intercultural communication communication Intercultural Biographies, archaeology and archaeology Biographies, Baltic and small ethnic group and small ethnic Baltic Environment-human relations Environment-human Innovative public services and services public Innovative industries management Research field Research Inclusive society Inclusive technologies and technologies diaspora research and administration Latvian studies and Latvian Teaching, education Teaching, and human resource and human resource Business innovations Business innovations personalised learning Language technology, Language technology, Disinformation, media Disinformation, international relations international for Latvian studies and Latvian for Other political sciences literacy, critical thinking literacy, Cultural heritage (except heritage (except Cultural Sustainable development comparative Baltic studies Baltic comparative Art, art history and creative art history Art, Foreign policy and defence, and defence, Foreign policy Innovations in public sector in public Innovations computa-tional linguis-tics* computa-tional comparative Baltic research) Baltic comparative Demographic, migration and Demographic, SSH thematic niches broken down by funding programme by down niches broken 3.1. SSH thematic Table

16 Latvian smart specialisation strategy (RIS3) area with horizontal impact "Social Sciences and Humanities" Analytical review of the research ecosystem (2014–2018) 0% 0% 1% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 38% 14% 51% 81% 85% 80% 12% 11% 14% 59% 32% 2020 100% 100% Horizon

0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 52% 33% 33% 1111 100% research) (practical

5% 4% 3% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 40% 32% 58% 29% 15% 14% 19% 40% 28% 41% 68% 25% 1112 100% 100% (post-doc) 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 95% 82% 84% 31% 41% 56% State (SRP) research programmes 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 60% 13% 16% 42% 33% 10% 15% 67% 20% 34% 21% 86% 60% 19% 100% 100% 100% 100% (FARP) projects research Theoretical and applied war studies Disability e-services linguistics Narratives Urban policy and folk-lore policy, resilience macroeconomics Improvements in Improvements Transport/energy Tax and tax policy and tax Tax and development; and development; collective memory collective Research subfields Research and ethnic minority minority and ethnic Inequality and social Inequality Regional development Regional Heterogeneous society Heterogeneous Digital cultural heritage re-sources management re-sources Public and political trust Public perspectives; post-Soviet post-Soviet perspectives; Economic transformation transformation Economic Theology and philosophy Theology Identity policy and facets, and facets, policy Identity Landscapes and locations Landscapes Interdisciplinary research in Interdisciplinary Latvian and Baltic literature literature and Baltic Latvian competitiveness and human competitiveness agriculture and food science agriculture and food Intercultural communication communication Intercultural Biographies, archaeology and archaeology Biographies, Baltic and small ethnic group and small ethnic Baltic Environment-human relations Environment-human Innovative public services and services public Innovative industries management Research field Research Inclusive society Inclusive technologies and technologies diaspora research and administration Latvian studies and Latvian Teaching, education Teaching, and human resource and human resource Business innovations Business innovations personalised learning Language technology, Language technology, Disinformation, media Disinformation, international relations international for Latvian studies and Latvian for Other political sciences literacy, critical thinking literacy, Cultural heritage (except heritage (except Cultural Sustainable development comparative Baltic studies Baltic comparative Art, art history and creative art history Art, Foreign policy and defence, and defence, Foreign policy Innovations in public sector in public Innovations computa-tional linguis-tics* computa-tional comparative Baltic research) Baltic comparative Demographic, migration and Demographic, The language technology and computational linguistics calculations do not include the ICT projects not classified as interdisciplinary SSH projects. not classified as interdisciplinary projects linguistics calculations do not include the ICT and computational The language technology * *

17 Research capacity in social 4 sciences and humanities

4.1. Human resources in research institutions

As of April 2019, 1113 social sciences and considerably more than in Latvia, where humanities research staff were employed only 22.1% of researchers working in the in Latvia, accounting for 26% of the total public sector and higher education work number of research staff in the country. in the corresponding fields. In terms of Research staff in social sciences and gender, women make up a numeric majority humanities are largely concentrated in the both in social sciences and in humanities. University of Latvia and its institutes (see However, there are exceptions. In Turība Figures 4.1 and 4.2); there is a significant, University most of the SSH researchers are but relatively smaller number of research male. An analysis of the age structure of staff in RTU, LLU, LAC, ULiep and other research staff in social sciences shows a research institutions. The proportion of relatively high number of researchers over SSH researchers to researchers in other 65, and a low number of those between 25 fields is relatively low in Latvia compared and 34 (see Figure 4.4). The distribution of to the rest of the EU (see Figure 4.3). In research staff according to their position Lithuania and Estonia, they took up a share (see Figure 4.5) does not significantly differ of 33.1% and 34.5% (in 2017), which is from the other RIS3 areas.

209 University of Latvia 81 54 Riga Technical University 28 Latvia University of 37 Life Sciences and Technologies 11 35 Rezekne Academy of Technologies 9 25 University of Liepāja 5 18 RISEBA University of Applied Sciences 12 21 Rīga Stradiņš University 6 LULST Institute of Agricultural 15 Resources and Economics 7 14 Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences 5 11 University of Daugavpils 2 Turība University Business 4 Technology Institute 8 0 50 100 150 200 250 Women Men Figure 4.1. Number of social sciences research staff by gender research institutions with at least 10 research staff members (approximate data, NZDIS, 2019)

18 Latvian smart specialisation strategy (RIS3) area with horizontal impact "Social Sciences and Humanities" Analytical review of the research ecosystem (2014–2018) 134 University of Latvia 65 University of Latvia Institute 25 of Literature, Folklore and Art 10 16 Riga Technical University 7 18 Latvian Academy of Culture 2 17 University of Liepāja 1 11 Ventspils University College 4 8 Rezekne Academy of Technologies 4 University of Latvia Institute of 11 Mathematics and Computer Science 0 8 National Library of Latvia 2 6 Latvian Academy of Music 4 0 50 100 150 200 250 Women Men Figure 4.2. Number of humanities research staff by gender in research institutions with at least 10 research staff members (approximate data, NZDIS, 2019)

Malta 31.5% 12.6% Luxembourg 31.7% 6.7% Greece 16.8% 20.4% Poland 18.7% 15.7% Lithuania 19.8% 14.7% Slovakia 20.4% 13.5% Estonia 15.7% 17.5% Portugal 19.3% 13.1% Croatia 16.4% 15.2% Cyprus 21.5% 8.1% Finland 21.7% 7.0% Spain 19.1% 9.5% Hungary 14.8% 13.4% Italy 17.7% 8.6% Netherlands 17.9% 8.1% Bulgaria 13.8% 11.4% Austria 14.8% 10.4% Belgium 15.1% 9.1% Slovenia 10.8% 12.0% Germany 12.7% 9.8% Latvia 12.2% 9.9% Denmark 13.1% 7.8% Czechia 9.5% 11.3% Romania 4.8% 6.3%

0,0% 10,0% 20,0% 30,0% 40,0% 50,0% SSH researchers as a share of all researchers (FTE) Figure 4.3. Social Science and Humanities researchers as a share of total researchers (FTE) in the Public and Higher Education sector in EU-27 countries (2017). Data for France, Ireland and Sweden are not available

19 30.0%

25.0% 24.4% 24.3% 22.6% 21.9% 21.4% 20.0%

16.2% 15.3% 15.8% 15.4% 15.0%

10.0%

5.0%

0% 0.0% <24 25 to 34 35 to 44 45 to 54 55 to 64 65 < Humanities Social Sciences Figure 4.4. Research staff age distribution in social sciences and humanities (approximate data, NZDIS, 2019)

41% Social Sciences

41%

Humanities 19%

13% 37% 3% 45% 1%

Senior researcher Researcher Research assistant Other Figure 4.5. Distribution of research staff in social sciences and humanities according to their position (NZDIS, MoES filters, 2019)

20 Latvian smart specialisation strategy (RIS3) area with horizontal impact "Social Sciences and Humanities" Analytical review of the research ecosystem (2014–2018) 4.2. Students

Investing in researcher human of early career SSH researchers. That is capital and an adequate pipeline of because SSH students disproportionally young researchers is essential for the choose careers outside academia. sustainability of the R&D system. The In social sciences and humanities there overall number of students gaining is a large gap between admitted students university and college degrees and and graduates in higher education qualifications has significantly dropped in Latvia since 2007. A similar trend is programmes (see Figure 4.6). In absolute noted in SSH, especially in social sciences, numbers, this disparity is not a large as which can be primarily explained by the in the other RIS3 areas, but the gap is reduction in the state funding of tuition widening. The disparity is expected to fees. In contrast to other RIS3 areas, become smaller, as the competition for there is a weaker correlation between nationally-funded tuition rises, and the the number of graduates and the number economy enters a down cycle.

30 26.5

20 18.2 18.2 17.3 17.0 17.4 15.4 16.9 15 16.5 14.2 14.0 13.9 15.4 13.0 13.0 10 11.5 9.4 9.1 8.6 7.3 5 3.4 3.0 2.8 2.8 2.7 2.6 2.5 2.4 2.0 2.1 1.7 1.9 1.9 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.6 1.5 0 1.4 1.3 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18

Immatriculated Social Sciences Exmatriculated Social Sciences

Immatriculated Humanities Exmatriculated Humanities

Figure 4.6. Number of social sciences and humanities students over the past 10 years

21 Table 4.1. Number of study programmes in social sciences and humanities (2017/2018, MK332 classification levels 43–51)

Other social Other sciences, art and including Philos- Business Sociology Social and Media and Languages Music, art humanities, Education Political interdiscipli- History and ophy, Psychology and and social Law economic communi- and litera- and archi- including Total science science nary social archaeology ethics and economics work geography cations ture studies tecture creative sciences religion industries and military studies science UL 4 16 14 6 7 9 4 4 3 22 6 1 96 DU 3 5 14 2 1 1 3 8 2 39 RSU 2 5 1 4 6 4 8 3 2 35 ULiep 2 15 1 4 6 28 RTU 25 1 1 1 28 RTA 6 5 2 1 1 2 1 2 1 21 BIA 1 5 4 3 1 2 16 LLU 8 4 3 1 16 RISEBA 15 1 1 17 RIA 12 12 TSI 11 11 BAT 4 2 2 2 10 LCA 1 2 1 1 2 1 8 VUC 4 4 8 BA 8 8 LAC 5 1 6 LAM 5 5 UEC 3 1 4 VUAS 4 4 AAL 3 3 RARZI 3 3 LNA 2 2 RAI 2 2 REA 2 2 ISMA 2 2 LA 1 1 Total 10 128 56 14 35 22 1 16 14 7 41 12 29 2 387

22 Latvian smart specialisation strategy (RIS3) area with horizontal impact "Social Sciences and Humanities" Analytical review of the research ecosystem (2014–2018) Other social Other sciences, art and including Philos- Business Sociology Social and Media and Languages Music, art humanities, Education Political interdiscipli- History and ophy, Psychology and and social Law economic communi- and litera- and archi- including Total science science nary social archaeology ethics and economics work geography cations ture studies tecture creative sciences religion industries and military studies science UL 4 16 14 6 7 9 4 4 3 22 6 1 96 DU 3 5 14 2 1 1 3 8 2 39 RSU 2 5 1 4 6 4 8 3 2 35 ULiep 2 15 1 4 6 28 RTU 25 1 1 1 28 RTA 6 5 2 1 1 2 1 2 1 21 BIA 1 5 4 3 1 2 16 LLU 8 4 3 1 16 RISEBA 15 1 1 17 RIA 12 12 TSI 11 11 BAT 4 2 2 2 10 LCA 1 2 1 1 2 1 8 VUC 4 4 8 BA 8 8 LAC 5 1 6 LAM 5 5 UEC 3 1 4 VUAS 4 4 AAL 3 3 RARZI 3 3 LNA 2 2 RAI 2 2 REA 2 2 ISMA 2 2 LA 1 1 Total 10 128 56 14 35 22 1 16 14 7 41 12 29 2 387

23 140 120 115 102 100 82 80 66 60 40 33 20 0 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Figure 4.7. Total number of doctoral graduates in social sciences and humanities in 2014–2018

The trend for the number of SSH doctoral The University of Latvia offers the level students (see Figure 4.7), has broadest selection of study programmes been dropping precipitously since 2014, in social sciences and humanities. A when the EU doctorate studies target similar number of programmes is offered scholarship programme ended. The by Daugavpils University, Rīga Stradiņš problematic situation with the number of University, University of Liepāja, Riga doctoral graduates can be seen in various Technical University (see Table 4.1) fields, with a comparatively high number Most study programmes are in disciplines of doctoral graduates in pedagogy, within business and economics. In management studies and economics, 2017/2018, there were a total of 56 while relatively few doctoral in law and doctorate study programmes in SSH, interdisciplinary fields. with the University of Latvia offering 18 programmes.

24 Latvian smart specialisation strategy (RIS3) area with horizontal impact "Social Sciences and Humanities" Analytical review of the research ecosystem (2014–2018) 5 Excellence in research

5.1. Research publications in social sciences and humanities

In addition to the amount of funding for SSH as well, because it acts as good obtained, publications in academic evidence for integration in the international journals and conference proceedings research environment and the congruence indexed in Scopus and Web of Science of research topics with the research topics are an important factor in measuring the relevant in the world, and offers advantages research activity and excellence in social for obtaining international research sciences and humanities. Bibliometric funding. Web of Science bibliometric data indicators capture information about for 2014–2018 have been used as part research activity and serve as a good proxy of this report to maintain consistency for academic and other impacts. Unlike with reports for the other RIS3 areas. SSH the other fields of research, bibliometric publications are indexed more in the WoS indicators for social sciences have weaker database than in Scopus. However, there correlations with alternative research are significant differences in the number impact assessments. These correlations of publications between the two databases are even less pronounced in humanities.11 (see Figure 5.1). There is roughly the same However, the number of publications number of publications in both databases and citations are an important indicator for Humanities.

50 % Publish 45 % more in 40 % SCOPUS

35 %

5.01 Psychology 5.02 Economics 30 % and business Publish 25 % 5.09 Other more in WoS

SCOPUS social 20 % sciences 5.04 Sociology 15 % 5.03 Educational sciences 5.08 Media and 10 % communications 5.07 Social and economic geography

5 % 5.06 Political science 5.05 Law 0 % 0 % 10 % 20 % 30 % 40 % 50 % Web of Science Figure 5.1. Share of Social Sciences publications by field of science in Scopus/Web of Science (2013—2017)

11 Ciolfi, A., Checchi, D., De Fraja, G., Mazzotta, I. and Verzillo, S., 2019. Have You Read This? An Empirical Comparison of the British Ref Peer Review and the Italian Vqr Bibliometric Algorithm.

25 Latvian researchers publish approximately a relatively high ratio of SSH publications the same number of publications in Social relative to the total number of research Sciences as Estonian researchers (see publications (see Figure 5.5), which can Figure 5.2), also on a per head basis12. be explained by the small number of In humanities, the quantity of research publications overall, and the relatively high publications and citations is relatively low number of researchers in SSH. in all the countries; however, the number The Emerging Sources Citation Index of humanities research publications in (ESCI) is a database of Web of Science Latvia is significantly lower than in the journals that indexes high-quality other Baltic states, and in the EU28. A journals that do not meet the criteria of review of the trend in the overall number any other WoS Core Collection databases. of SSH publications (see Figure 5.3) shows a divergence starting in 2012, as Latvia Both in Latvia and in the rest of the falls behind the other Baltic states. A world, this database contains the highest significant difference is also observed in share of journals and publications the proportion of cited publications (see in social sciences and humanities Figure 5.4). Only 22.9% of the Latvian (see Figure 5.5). In 2014–2018, only 0.2% publications in social sciences have of all social sciences publications were been cited at least once. In contrast, indexed in the ESCI database. This may be 44.3% of publications in Lithuania, and explained by the small number of local 51.5% in Estonia have been cited at least journals included in this rating. Certain once. A similar disparity with the other measures may be necessary to include Baltic States exists in the proportion of more non-indexed Latvian journals in this publications in top 10% journals. Latvia has database in the future.

4500

4000

3500 1038

3000 1243 2500 325 2000

1500 3071

1000 2260 2206

500

0 Latvia Lithuania Estonia

Publications in humanities Publications in social science

Figure 5.2. Total number of social sciences and humanities publications in the Baltics (Web of Science, 2014–2018)

12 MoES calculation: 1.81 social science publications in Estonia, and 2.29 in Latvia (Web of Science, 2016–2017) per 1 research professional in the higher education sector (Eurostat, 2016).

26 Latvian smart specialisation strategy (RIS3) area with horizontal impact "Social Sciences and Humanities" Analytical review of the research ecosystem (2014–2018) 1000 900 800 700 600 491 500 676 400 300 464 487 454 391 404 200 362 100 229 251 0 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Estonia Latvia Lithuania

Figure 5.3. Social sciences and humanities publication trends in the Baltics (Web of Science, 2014–2018)

51.5 50 44.3

40 39.6

30.6 30 29.4 22.9 23.7 20 18.8 15.7 12.7 10.6 10 5.2

0 % publications % publications % publications in % publications with cited in Q1 journals top 10% journals international coauthor Lithuania Estonia Latvia Figure 5.4. Number of research publications in social sciences in the Baltics (Web of Science, 2009–2018)

27 25 % 22.0 % 20 % 20.1 % 16.6 % 15 % 14.6 % 13.2 %

10 % 9.8 % 7.1 % 6.6 % 6.3 % 5 % 3.9 %

0 % World EU–28 Estonia Lithuania Latvia

Social Sciences Humanities With ESCI With ESCI

Figure 5.5. Share of research publications in social sciences and humanities, compared to the overall number of research publications in the Baltic states, the EU and the world (Web of Science, 2014–2018)

5.2. Research excellence in social sciences and humanities

Research excellence in SSH is concentrated publications, broken down by subfields in the largest research institutions in (see Figure 5.7). During the reporting Latvia. In 2014–2018, researchers at the period, a large number of publications were University of Latvia released 41% of all released in teaching and education studies SSH publications (see Figure 5.6). LLU and (848) and economics (646). There are ULiep show relatively weak performance significant differences among the results of in terms of internationalisation (measured various research institutions by the number by the number of publications with an of citations and the Category Normalized international co-author). LLU, RTU and Citation Impact. LLU and Daugavpils Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences University have good performance in pedagogy and education studies. Multiple have a relatively high number of research institutions show good results in publications with at least one citation economics, though UL and RSU fall behind (~30%); however, it is worth noting that in quality, as the number of their articles almost all research institutions have with at least once citation does not even individual researchers with a very high exceed 20%. RTU significantly improves 13 number of self-citations. the overall performance in management There is an absence of a correlation studies, in which Latvia demonstrates a between excellence and the number of relatively high level of excellence.

13 The number of self-citations is not a strictly negative indicator. see. Van Noorden, Richard, and Chawla D. Singh. "Hundreds of extreme self-citing scientists revealed in new database." Nature 572, No. 7771 (2019): 578

28 Latvian smart specialisation strategy (RIS3) area with horizontal impact "Social Sciences and Humanities" Analytical review of the research ecosystem (2014–2018) 900 70%

63% 800 60%

700 50% 600

40% 500 36%

32% 30% 30% 30% 400 30% 26%

300 22% 22% 18% 20% 15% 20% 15% 15% 200 13% 14% 13% 11% 11% 9% 8% 8% 10% 6% 6% 6% 100 5% 10% 5% 5% 3% 3% 2% 2% 4% 0% 4% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0 0%

UL ViA LLU RTU RSU DU TSI RTA LZA LMA ULiep VentA JVLMA

(ar AREI)

Publications cited Publications with international coauthor Cited publications (at least once) Publications in Q1 journals Publications in top 10% journals Figure 5.6. SSH publications in the top research institutions (Web of Science, 2014–2018)

29 Social sciences

Table 5.1. Top 6 WoS-indexed journals and conference proceedings by the number of Latvian researcher social sciences articles (Web of Science, 2014–2018).

Category Journal Num- Docu- nor- nor- Scientific journal or ber of Cita- Publisher ments malized malized collection or articles publications cited (%) citation citation tions impact impact NEW CHALLENGES OF ECONOMIC AND BUSINESS UL 62 3 4.84 0.14 0 DEVELOPMENT – 2017: DIGITAL ECONOMY NEW CHALLENGES OF ECONOMIC AND BUSINESS UL 57 13 15.79 0.39 0 DEVELOPMENT – 2016 SOCIETY, INTEGRATION, RTA 50 5 10 0.13 0.75 EDUCATION, VOL I, 2014 Kaunas EUROPEAN Univer- INTEGRATION sity of 43 28 39.53 0.13 1.11 STUDIES Technol- ogy SOCIETY, INTEGRATION, RTA 37 7 13.51 0.25 1.41 EDUCATION, VOL II, 2014 RURAL ENVIRONMENT, EDUCATION, UL 36 8 19.44 0.64 1.13 PERSONALITY. (REEP)

30 Latvian smart specialisation strategy (RIS3) area with horizontal impact "Social Sciences and Humanities" Analytical review of the research ecosystem (2014–2018) Humanities

Table 5.2. Top 5 WoS-indexed journals and conference proceedings by the number of Latvian researcher social sciences articles (Web of Science, 2014–2018).

Category Journal Num- Docu- nor- nor- Scientific journal or Pub- ber of Cita- ments malized malized collection or articles lisher publications cited (%) citation citation tions impact impact LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE AND LLU 31 8 16.13% 0.45 0.94 ART SOCIETY, INTEGRATION, RTA 27 0 0 0 0 EDUCATION, VOL IV

JOURNAL OF BALTIC ABS 27 35 59.26% 2.89 1.43 STUDIES INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE; MEANING IN RTU 19 13 47.37% 0.76 0.40 TRANSLATION: ILLUSION OF PRECISION, MTIP2016 Tartu INTERLITTERARIA Uni- 18 6 22.22 0.37 1.40 versity

31 900 2 800 1.8 700 1.6 600 1.4 1.2 500 1 400 848 0.8 646 300 0.6 200 385 0.4 291 291 100 210 0.2 112 104 99 85 84 83 77 76 64 62 61 61 60 53 53 51 0 0

Art Law

Sociology Economics Geography Linguis�cs Management Health Policy Regional Studies Poli�cal Science Hydroresources Entrepreneurship Language Sciences Educa�onal Sciences Business and Finance Environmental Science

Regional and Urban Planning Interdisciplinary Humani�esInterdisciplinary Psychology Interdisciplinary Social Sciences Agricultural Economics and Policy

Number of publications Category Normalized Citation Impact

Hotel and Restaurant Management, Tourism, Sport and Recrea�on Figure 5.7. Number of publications and Category Normalized Citation Impact in different SSH fields (Web of Science, 2014–2018)

Bibliometric indicators generally of overall publications, divergences accurately reflect the SSH research are rapidly emerging with Estonia and capacity and quality of research Lithuania, which should primarily be institutions. The University of Latvia is solved by increasing the human resources notable for its high research capacity available in fields with international across a broad spectrum of disciplines, relevance, encouraging researchers with producing a large proportion of a small number of indexed publications, publications, even in relatively minor or no publications, to publish their work, and niche topics. UL, LLU, RTU and RSU and to include unindexed journals in actively publish in major SSH topics. However, only 1 or 2 universities usually Scopus/WoS (including ESCI) databases. excel within specific areas. Universities In humanities, efforts to encourage should invest in promoting excellence in academic publications must continue, subfields strategically important for them, while looking for alternative ways to thereby enabling research institutions to measure the added value created for specialise on the national level. Despite society (impact) and the effectiveness of the generally positive trend of an increase public investment.

32 Latvian smart specialisation strategy (RIS3) area with horizontal impact "Social Sciences and Humanities" Analytical review of the research ecosystem (2014–2018) 6 Research collaboration

6.1. Collaboration on the national level

Researchers in social sciences and Unfortunately bibliometric data show that humanities actively collaborate with this rarely results in national-scale cross- researchers from other research institutional joint publications. There is institutions through State Research comparatively good collaboration among Programmes and other joint projects. UL and LLU researchers (see Figure 6.1).

RTA RTU LLU

UL DU

RSU LZA

ULiep ViA VU

Figure 6.1. Joint publications in social sciences and humanities by Latvian research institutions (Web of Science, 2014–2018)

6.2. International cooperation

The number of publications with an proportion of SSH articles with an international co-author is one of the international co-author is lower than primary indicators for international in any of the other RIS3 areas, except cooperation. In social science and for smart energy engineering, and humanities, it is relatively low significantly lower than the EU28 throughout the world. In Latvia, the average in these fields. Internationally,

33 Latvian SSH researchers collaborate An analysis of countries with the most with their colleagues from the United active collaborations shows that joint Kingdom and Lithuania, with 61 joint publications with UK researchers publications indexed for each of the have high citation metrics, with 73.1% countries during the reporting period being cited at least once, and 47.7% (see Figure 6.2). Active cooperation published in Q1 journals. Even after the is takes place with Germany, Estonia, United Kingdom’s departure from the Poland, Russia and the USA. European Union, researchers and MoES must work harder to promote scientific collaboration with diaspora researchers.

Number of joint social sciences and humanities publications by Latvian research institutions (Web of Science, 2014–2018)

Figure 6.2.

34 Latvian smart specialisation strategy (RIS3) area with horizontal impact "Social Sciences and Humanities" Analytical review of the research ecosystem (2014–2018) 6.3. Activities within the Horizon 2020 framework programme

Within the Horizon 2020 framework comparatively good, with 2.07 million programme, social sciences and euros (0.31% of the total funding available humanities research is primarily funded through the programme) awarded to 14 through Societal Challenge 6 (SC6): projects. Of the 14 SC6 projects, 9 are "Europe in a changing world – Inclusive, research projects with a total EC funding innovative and reflective societies". SSH of 1.67 million euros awarded to Latvian researchers can also apply for "horizontal" partners (see Figure 6.3). The University funding in other programmes. SSH of Latvia applied for the highest number researchers can also apply for funding of projects that passed the SC6 threshold from excellence pillar programmes (ERC, (13), followed by DU, RSU, RTU (4 projects MSCA). Latvia’s achievements in SC6 are each), and LAC (3 projects).

3% 9%

Funded

Reserve 30% Above Threshold

Below Threshold 58%

Figure 6.3. Horizon 2020 SC6 projects by funding status, 2014 to 24 July 2019

In addition to the SC6 projects, Latvia’s Horizon 2020 programme, not including SSH researchers actively engage in the the coordination and support activities "Food security, sustainable agriculture (CSA) and ERA-NET Cofund projects. and forestry, marine, maritime and inland 42% of the 389 project submitted have water research and the bioeconomy" passed the threshold (see Figure 6.4). SC3 programme, in LEIT and other The institutions that have demonstrated programmes. According to the MoES the most success in obtaining funding estimates, SSH research projects have and completing their projects are the received 6.9 million euros as part of the University of Latvia, SIA LETA and BSC.

35 EU.1.1. European Research Council (ERC)

EU.1.3. Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Actions

EU.1.4. Research Infrastructures

EU.2.1. Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies (LEIT)

EU.2.3. Innovation in SMEs EU.3.2. Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine and maritime and inland water research and the bioeconomy EU.3.3. Secure, clean and efﬁcient energy

EU.3.5. Climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials EU.3.6. Europe in a changing world – inclusive, innovative and reflective Societies EU.3.7. Secure societies – Protecting freedom and security of Europe and its citizens EU.5.a. Make scientific and technological careers attractive for young people EU.5.b. Promote gender equality in research and innovation EU.5.c. Integrate society in science and innovation

EU.5.d. Encourage citizens to engage in science

€ € € € € € € € 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – € 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 1 1 2 2 3 3 4

Submitted Funded Figure 6.4. SSH projects submitted and funded across all Horizon 2020 programmes14 between 2014 and 24 July 2019 (in thousands of euros)

14 MoES calculations, individually marking SSH projects according to their programme, name and submitter.

36 Latvian smart specialisation strategy (RIS3) area with horizontal impact "Social Sciences and Humanities" Analytical review of the research ecosystem (2014–2018) Table 6.1. Funding awarded, number of SSH projects and their success rate across all Horizon 2020 programmes

Funding Organisation Submitted Funded awarded

LETA € 1,166,250.00 3 1 UNIVERSITY OF LATVIA € 1,127,233.28 55 6 BALTIC STUDIES CENTRE FOUNDATION € 798,056.25 9 3 RIGA MUNICIPAL AGENCY "RIGA ENERGY € 393,468.75 3 1 AGENCY" DAUGAVPILS UNIVERSITY € 386,641.25 10 2 FARMERS’ PARLIAMENT (ZSA) € 380,001.25 3 3 RĪGA STRADIŅŠ UNIVERSITY € 353,938.00 7 2 BALTIC OPEN SOLUTIONS CENTER € 324,463.75 5 2 STOCKHOLM SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS IN € 296,312.50 3 1 RIGA SIA SIA DATORZINIBU CENTRS € 230,068.44 3 1 MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION € 206,250.00 2 1 AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT LATVIA UNIVERSITY OF LIFE SCIENCES AND € 172,708.75 6 1 TECHNOLOGIES LATVIAN ACADEMY OF CULTURE € 161,862.50 6 1 BALTIC ENVIRONMENTAL FORUM € 151,175.00 3 1 LATVIAN CENTRE OF TECHNOLOGY € 119,723.75 5 3 FOUNDATION (LTC) RIGA CITY COUNCIL € 107,960.00 5 1 TUKUMS MUNICIPAL COUNCIL € 107,500.00 2 1 VIDZEME PLANNING REGION € 86,187.50 10 1 SIA SUNGIS € 71,428.75 1 1 INSTITUTE OF AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES € 68,562.50 2 1 AND ECONOMICS STATE JOINT-STOCK COMPANY (VAS) LATVIJAS JURAS ADMINISTRACIJA (MARITIME € 57,628.75 1 1 ADMINISTRATION OF LATVIA) INSTITUTE OF BIOLOGY OF THE UNIVERSITY € 55,537.50 2 2 OF LATVIA LATVIAN RURAL FORUM (LLF) € 53,687.50 1 1 LATGALIAN STUDENT CENTRE € 27,000.00 1 1

37 Table 6.2. Horizon 2020 SC6 projects funded in Latvia (as of 24 July 2019)

EC funding for Organisation Project name Project type the Latvian partner STATE JOINT-STOCK The Once Only Principle COMPANY (VAS) LATVIJAS IA € 57,629 Project JURAS ADMINISTRACIJA Cultural Heritage and DAUGAVPILS UNIVERSITY Identities of Europe's RIA € 313,500 Future RĪGA STRADIŅŠ IN THE BALKANS RIA € 306,625 UNIVERSITY Developing Inclusive STOCKHOLM SCHOOL OF & Sustainable Creative RIA € 296,313 ECONOMICS IN RIGA SIA Economies MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENTAL Empowering Citizens PROTECTION to TrAnsform European RIA € 206,250 AND REGIONAL PubLic Administrations DEVELOPMENT Critical Heritage: LATVIAN ACADEMY performing and RIA € 161,863 OF CULTURE representing identities in Europe Youth mobility: maximising opportunities UNIVERSITY OF LATVIA for individuals, labour RIA € 154,000 markets and regions in Europe Empowering Citizens UNIVERSITY OF LATVIA to TrAnsform European RIA € 127,500 PubLic Administrations Rebuilding an Inclusive, Value-based Europe RĪGA STRADIŅŠ of Solidarity and RIA € 47,313 UNIVERSITY Trust through Social Investments Strengthening and LATVIAN INSTITUTE OF Energizing EU-Central CSA € 100,438 INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS Asia relations

38 Latvian smart specialisation strategy (RIS3) area with horizontal impact "Social Sciences and Humanities" Analytical review of the research ecosystem (2014–2018) EC funding for Organisation Project name Project type the Latvian partner Transnational network of National Contact STARPTAUTISKA Points (NCPs) of Societal LIETISKAS OPTIKAS Challenge 6 "Europe CSA 77,719 € BIEDRIBA in a changing world – inclusive, innovative and reflective Societies" (SC6) VALSTS IZGLITIBAS ERA-NET Cofund Smart ERA-NET- 77,540 € ATTISTIBAS AGENTURA Urban Futures Cofund HERA Joint Research LATVIJAS ZINATNU ERA-NET- Programme Uses of the 75,653 € AKADEMIJA Cofund Past HERA Joint Research VALSTS IZGLITIBAS Programme European ERA-NET- 72,600 € ATTISTIBAS AGENTURA Public Space, Culture and Cofund Integration

39 Challenges in social 7 sciences and humanities

Various challenges must be overcome levels. However, more focus is needed on the national level to develop the on thematic groups with the highest Social Sciences and Humanities RIS3 potential, and a more strategic approach area. More focus is needed to achieve for selecting which projects to apply for and demonstrate the research impact of in line with the strategic directions of the publicly funded research to target groups research institutions. (society, policy-makers, etc.). This includes European and global trends create actively disseminating research results new challenges for SSH researchers to decision-makers and fostering close in Latvia. The blurring of disciplines relations with policymakers. Funding gaps and the accompanying shift towards when between projects must be reduced more interdisciplinary research creates planning research programmes, especially a necessity to participate in research in humanities and Latvian studies. The projects of other fields, and to provide discussion about the balance of Latvian a meaningful horizontal contribution to and English language publications the project. The international demand must continue. This issue is particularly for specific skills and knowledge is relevant for Latvian studies (which is growing; this includes familiarity with a part of humanities), a discipline that qualitative and quantitative research needs more nuanced solutions than methods, statistics, ethics, law, etc. simply requiring a large quantity of well- There is a notable trend towards more cited publications in English language

journals. SSH performance within the openness and digitisation in science. Digital resources and infrastructures Horizon 2020 framework programme is good in terms of the number of projects; must be adjusted to support the skills of however, it falls behind in the amount researchers, especially in working with of funding obtained. In order to tackle research data, and support mechanisms this challenge, in the new framework must be planned for attaining such skills. programme research institutions In the context of the smart specialisation must apply to coordinate projects, not strategy, it is necessary to more clearly only participate as project partners. identify the thematic niches, in which Latvia’s top universities with SSH study SSH research reinforces other RIS3 areas programmes and a research capacity are and supports the achievement of the well-developed given the current funding objectives of RIS3.

40 Latvian smart specialisation strategy (RIS3) area with horizontal impact "Social Sciences and Humanities" Analytical review of the research ecosystem (2014–2018) 8 Research institutions

University of Latvia (UL) conducts research studies and anthropology. Interdisciplinary within a broad range of topics, with the research with the involvement of SSH fields priorities including climate change and is also carried out in medicine. sustainable use of natural resources; As part of its "Education studies" and public health; quality of life and national "Regional, literature and art studies" priority sustainability; critical thinking; innovations; domains, globalisation and competitiveness; Latvian Daugavpils University (DU) conducts studies; diaspora studies and intercultural research in economics, sociology, social communication; humans, technologies and psychology, political science and law, in quality of education. social and public human safety, education Latvia University of Life Sciences and (sustainable education, teaching theory, Technologies (LLU) is a leading research teaching in specific disciplines, lifelong institution in the field of bioeconomics in education), and humanities (literature Latvia, conducting interdisciplinary research studies, linguistics, history, culture studies, in SSH topics such as: the economics of youth studies). sustainable development of biological University of Liepāja (ULiep) carries out resource industries; bioeconomics and research in education (child-focused circular economy; smart and sustainable education, culture of cooperation in development of specific areas and regions; education, quality and sustainability production process efficiency and business of education), in arts and humanities competitiveness; professional education (language, literature and art within the and career support for sustainable societal Kurzeme cultural space and the overall development. Baltic and Nordic context; digital media and Riga Technical University (RTU) conducts network art studies, languages and learning research in the fields of environment and languages in a multicultural environment), energy, urban development, ICT, transport, in economics and management studies materials, processes and technologies, as (regional development of innovative well as security and defence. SSH research economy and business, circular economy). takes place on an interdisciplinary basis, Latvian Academy of Culture (LKA) with a specialisation in economic and researches theory of culture, cultural business research related to technology. sociology, history and theory of art and There is also research in the fields of history, practical and theoretical topics in technical translation and e-learning theatre and cinema, cultural management, technology. creative industries, intercultural Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) engages in communication, semiotics, philosophy and research in fields such as public health, other related fields. occupational safety and environmental Art Academy of Latvia (LMA) carries out health, business and economics, political research in art history, design and creative sciences, law, bioethics, communication industries.

41 Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences markets, institutional operation and (ViA) conducts SSH research in the management, innovative business practices subfields of sustainable economy, society of (including education and digitisation of knowledge and communication ecosystems; businesses), business modelling, value there is interdisciplinary collaboration with in innovations and real options theory, the subfields of smart technologies and strategic human resources management, sociotechnical system modelling. psychology and supervision, audio-visual Rezekne Academy of Technologies (RTA) media and digital arts, advertising and conducts research in a number of priority public relations, urban design and the fields: business and economics (including urban environment. bioeconomics and cyclical economics); Ventspils University of Applied Sciences civil defence, rights and safety; art and advances research in the fields of business, humanities (including regional studies, innovation, regional economics, financial creative and cultural industry, Latgalian mathematical modelling, as well as applied language, preservation and transformation linguistics, comparative linguistics and of traditions and culture); education, translation studies. including special-needs and inclusive Latvian Academy of Sciences (LZA) — the education; social welfare and rehabilitation Department of Humanities and Social technologies; human safety, society of Sciences organises expert conferences, knowledge and information. preparing and publishing reports on the National Library of Latvia (LNB) publishes basis of expert opinions and theoretical collections of research articles, and research; the department publishes conducts research in library science, the "Latvijas Zinātņu akadēmijas Vēstis, bibliography and book studies, Latvian A daļa: humanitārās un sociālās zinātnes" studies, national identity, information and journal ("Latvian Academy of Sciences cognitive studies. News, Section A: Humanities and Social Stockholm School of Economics in Riga Sciences"). The LZA Agriculture and Forestry (SSE Riga) engages in research in fields Department participates in international such as economics, finance, business, studies on rural development. demographics, migration and other fields, Baltic International Centre for Economic working on the Baltic Shadow Economy Policy Studies (BICEPS) conducts research Index. The institution publishes the Baltic in the fields of economics and political Journal of Economics in conjunction with science, specialising in tax/benefit micro- BICEPS. simulations, informal economy analysis, Baltic Studies Centre (BSC) researches business economics, macroeconomics and the social, economic and regional aspects demographics. The institution publishes the of bioeconomy, including the topics of Baltic Journal of Economics in conjunction coastline economy, regional dimensions of with SSE Riga. bioeconomy, sustainable rural and regional BA School of Business and Finance development and agrifood systems. BSC researches business and finance, is the leading research institution that specialising in financial services and engages in Horizon 2020 projects (SALSA, compliance, sustainability and efficiency, SUFISA, PLAID, AGRILINK, ROBUST, DESIRA, as well as cybersecurity management. INHABIT) in Latvia. The institution publishes the Journal of RISEBA University of Applied Sciences Business Management in conjunction with conducts research in economics, financial RISEBA.

42 Latvian smart specialisation strategy (RIS3) area with horizontal impact "Social Sciences and Humanities" Analytical review of the research ecosystem (2014–2018) Turība University Business Technology Latvian Academy of Music (LAM) conducts Institute conducts applied research and research in systematic and historical consults in various fields, primarily in musicology, ethnomusicology, and business administration and tourism. artistic studies. The academy carries out University of Latvia Institute of Literature, international and interdisciplinary projects Folklore and Art (ILFA) engages in in musicology, neuropsychology and international research in the fields of psychology, music education, anthropology Latvian literature, intangible cultural of music and computer science. LAM also heritage, theatre, music and cinema. The issues the "Mūzikas akadēmijas raksti" institute develops innovative digital ("Academic Articles on Music") journal. resources (garamantas.lv, iesaisties.lv) LLU Institute of Agricultural Resources and works on interdisciplinary projects in and Economics (IARE) conducts research digital and environmental humanities, and in bioeconomics and sustainable rural in gender, narrative and autobiographical development, including the economic studies. The institute publishes the Letonica growth of biological resource industries humanities research journal. (farming, food production, fish processing and other sectors), and improvements in University of Latvia Institute of the efficiency of production processes, Mathematics and Computer Science implementation of innovations and conducts national and international competitiveness of business. The research in the interdisciplinary fields of institution carries out data monitoring language technology and computational and socioeconomic assessments of the linguistics. The institute develops and development of rural areas. maintains major resources and tools (including infrastructure) pertaining to Institute for Environmental Solutions the Latvian language, such as corpora, foundation (IES) is a research institution dictionaries, thesauruses etc.). The institute that specialises in interdisciplinary fields, is the national coordinator of the CLARIN with research in bioeconomy, space, ERIC research infrastructure. sustainable development, cultural heritage and other fields. Institute of Economics of the Latvian Academy of Sciences researches the European Research Institute for Economics fields of business and tourism, conducts and Technology (ERIET) works in the fields market analyses and scientific research of smart energy engineering and smart in economics and other social sciences, materials, primarily providing business including interdisciplinary fields; the services. The institute develops the capacity of social sciences in the construction sector. institute provides scientific consulting concerning the socioeconomic development Baltic International Academy (BIA) conducts processes ongoing in the country, its research and organises conferences in regions and organisations; the institute business, innovation policy and other fields. develops recommendations for developing Actively collaborates with researchers in and implementing economic policy; the Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan. institute fosters the commercialisation of Latvian Maritime Academy Research inventions and the collaboration between Institute (LMARI) conducts research researchers and companies; it also develops in maritime fields. The institute works and manages EU and other international on various interdisciplinary SSH fields: projects, and organises the annual LZA maritime history and human resource International Economic Forum. management in maritime affairs,

43 development of maritime education and organising research conferences, teaching, efficiency of maritime processes, discussions, workshops, and publishing shipping quality, safety and security. research. Centre for Security and Strategic Research Latvian Academy of Sport Education (LASE) (CSSR) is a research institute of the conducts research in the field of sport National Defence Academy of Latvia, education. which engages in academic research in Shamir Association conducts research in the field of security and research, including the field of Jewish national identity, cultural strategy, hybrid war, future warfare, and historical heritage; researches and influence, psychological and information engages in educational activities pertaining operations, deterrence, comprehensive to the topic of the Holocaust. national defence, patriotism and public SIA "Biznesa kompetences centrs" participation. CSSR collaborates with NATO ("Business Competence Centre") conducts bodies and research institutions of NATO research within a broad range of social member states, and organises talks by sciences and humanities, arranging leading international experts as well as international practical research conferences international conferences. in the fields of business competence, Latvian Christian Academy marketing in trade, and the business Interdisciplinary Research Institute (IRI) environment. The institution publishes conducts interdisciplinary research in research monographs, the "Baltic Journal social work, ecotheology, intercultural of Business Environment" and "Baltic dialogue, translation of patristic literature Journal of Marketing" magazines, and and other fields. develops innovative product technologies Latvian Academy of Sciences Baltic and methods for developing business Strategic Research Centre (BSRC) engages competence and intellectual capital in in research in the fields pertaining to higher education. security and Latvia’s recent history,

Institutions not included in the Registry of Scientific Institutions

PROVIDUS think-tank researches migration international, NATO-accredited military and integration, political parties and organisation. The centre engages in public administration, measures against research projects and training in the field of corruption, approaches to promote social strategic communication. businesses and reduce social inequality, as SIA EPC (Economic Forecasting Centre) well as public participation. acts as the national participant for Latvia Bank of Latvia conducts research in in the labour market, working conditions macroeconomics and related fields on the and social dialogue research conducted by national and Eurozone levels, developing the Dublin Foundation, and fulfils research research methods in economics. commissions on a wide variety of topics in NATO Strategic Communications Centre economics. of Excellence (NATO StratCom) is an

44 Latvian smart specialisation strategy (RIS3) area with horizontal impact "Social Sciences and Humanities" Analytical review of the research ecosystem (2014–2018)

THE NATIONAL EUROPEAN UNION DEVELOPMENT Ministry of European Regional Education and Science PLAN 2014-2020 Development Fund

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