The Guild's vision for social sciences-led research to "strengthen Europe’s ability to adapt and prepare"

The Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities has called for "a clear vision of Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities-led collaborative R&I that will help ensure Europeans feel more grounded in their distinctive heritage(s), embedding the need for competitiveness in a positive, holistic vision for our common future".

In a statement published on 23/06/2026, the association said that the "Society" component of Horizon Europe’s (FP10) proposed Pillar 2 needed to strengthen Europe’s ability to adapt and prepare for the future by "producing evidence for public policy, improving understanding of social changes, and developing cutting-edge insights into the human dimensions of technological and global political shifts".

The Guild is publishing this recommendation while the EU "prepares to connect challenge-based collaborative research and innovation (R&I) closely to the European Competitiveness Fund (ECF)", The Guild added.

The Guild calls on the European Commission, MEP and member states (the so-called co-legislators) to provide a transparent budget allocation per instrument within…