Call for steering group members for the “Social Science Matters” project | deadline: 2 July

Background

A key strength of the International Science Council is that its membership includes both natural and social sciences. This project intends to draw on the ISC membership to enable the ISC to facilitate social science collaboration and strengthen the contribution of social sciences and humanities, including new ways to integrate the cultural, social, economic and political dimensions in sustainable development policies at national and multilateral levels.

Given that effective and holistic policies require insights from the social sciences, enabling interface between experts from a range of disciplinary and contextual backgrounds with policymakers is of key importance. Acknowledging this, the ISC has led two social science research programmes in the past; Transformations to Sustainability (T2S) and the Leading Integrated Research in Africa for Agenda 2030 (LIRA 2030). Both these programmes led to key learnings for the global sustainability policy community and aimed to build capacity and networks in the regions the programme worked in. In addition, between 2019 and 2022, the ISC and UNDP project on ‘rethinking human development’ engaged experts from various disciplines, notably from the social sciences from around the world on the concepts and measurement of multi-dimensional wellbeing. The project will be a concrete step to develop these learnings and further facilitate an enhanced role for social sciences in policy advocacy and advice as well as provide a platform for the social sciences in the work of the ISC.

The project aims to foster international collaboration across disciples (both within social sciences and humanities as well as with natural sciences) to address sustainability challenges and create a global network of researchers, policy-makers, and practitioners to share knowledge and best practices towards the following objectives:

1. Understand the challenges and good practices in developing social science contributions to sustainable development policy.
2. Develop evidence-based policy recommendations for sustainability and demonstrate the value of social science contributions to policy making and implementation.
3. Build capacity for social science research and collaboration for social transformations for sustainable development
   The draft proposal including a workplan is annexed to this document.
4. Provide a platform for collaboration and for responding to common issues.
   

Composition and Term

The Steering Group shall consist of 6-12 members representing various global regions. The group will be balanced in terms of gender and have representations from several disciplines. There will be at least one representative from the ISC Governing Board, and if possible, one ISC Fellow.

An initial proposal of experts for the Steering Group including suggestions for a Chair/Co-Chairs will be made by the ISC Secretariat to the Governing Board for consideration and appointment.

Members will be appointed for an initial period of July 2025 to December 2026, with possibility of extension depending on the evolution of the project and ISC priorities.

Members of the Group serve in an individual or institutional capacity and on a pro bono basis.

Priority tasks

The Steering Group will

• Provide strategic advice to the ISC on the overall direction, scope, and priorities of the project
• Provide regular feedback to the ISC project team on project outputs, processes and timelines (e.g., reports, statements, policy briefs, workshops, consultations with members etc.)
• Support the promotion and dissemination of project findings and recommendations
• Advise on stakeholder engagement and fundraising, including engagement with ISC Members, universities and research institutes, research funders, policy-makers etc.
• Identify gaps in participation, substantive themes and outputs and recommend corrective action
• The representative of the Board on the Steering Group will report to the Board on the progress of the project as necessary.
• The Chair/Co-chairs will liaise with the project team and lead meetings and discussions of the Group. They will also advise on the need to convene or consult the steering group beyond the regular meetings.

Additional tasks

Depending on resources, the Steering Group may

• Support the ISC in making connections and fostering relations and collaborations with individuals, organizations and networks to contribute to the programme
• Represent the programme in public facing platforms with support from the programme team
• Contribute to ISC strategic or action planning processes
• Contribute to fundraising efforts and organizational development projects

Working modalities

The Steering Group will meet regularly online on a monthly basis (more often when required).

Ad hoc working groups may be established for specific tasks as deemed necessary.

Decisions will be made by consensus where possible and otherwise by majority vote.

Members of the Steering Group are expected to abide by the ISC Code of Conduct.

The ISC Secretariat will be responsible for convening meetings, preparing documentation, and coordinating follow-up actions. The ISC Secretariat will also maintain records of meetings and circulate minutes, agendas, and key documents in advance of each meeting.