ESRC IAA launch event
Social Science Making a Difference: A celebration of the impact of leading research by the Universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow
On Wednesday 18 March 2015, over 100 people gathered in the Scottish Parliament to celebrate how leading research is addressing some of the most significant challenges faced by society in the early 21st century.
Sponsored by Richard Simpson MSP, Social Science Making a Difference cast a spotlight on 11 influential research projects and centres from across the Universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Given the setting, it was appropriate and encouraging to see so many people from local and national government engage with social science projects which have resonance across a range of policy areas, from health and wellbeing to justice and social inclusion.
Together, the Universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow - both of which have been awarded Impact Acceleration Accounts by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) - were also delighted to welcome guests from the not-for-profit sector, public service providers and users, industry, academic colleagues, and funding bodies.
Social science evidence is playing an increasing role across the policy spectrum. It’s important we come to [complex] issues with a sense of curiosity and inquiry - both of which are inherent in the social sciences - and combine them with the power to act on these insights, which is why collaboration between the sciences and policy makers is key
One of the key speeches of the evening was made by Angela Constance MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning. She highlighted the importance of collaboration and multidisciplinary approaches across the social sciences, and of the Scottish Government’s commitment to embedding social science in policy making. Guests also heard from Professor Charlie Jeffrey, Senior Vice Principal of the University of Edinburgh, and Professor Anne Anderson, Vice Principal of the University of Glasgow.
social science provides a window and helps us develop our understanding of the context we’re operating in
The closing speaker was Sarah Davidson, Director General (of) Communities at the Scottish Government, who returned to the question of how to tackle complex societal challenges, speaking eloquently of how social science provides a window and helps us develop our understanding of the context we’re operating in
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Referring to the real-time evidence required to underpin an emerging and distinctive Scottish approach to public service delivery and reform, Ms Davidson made particular mention of the new community-facing initiative, What Works Scotland (co-funded by Scottish Government and the ESRC), and praised the ESRC’s investment in an Administrative Data Research Centre at the University of Edinburgh as a “welcome development”.
