Social sciences and the humanities will play a large part in Horizon 2020

As the first Danish university, Copenhagen Business School places focus on Horizon2020, the new EU programme for research and innovation, of which the aim is to ensure the global competitiveness of Europe and create jobs and growth. A conference at CBS will focus on the special role that social sciences and the humanities will play in Horizon2020

"We are very proud to host Denmark's first conference about Horizon2020, the new framework programme of the EU, where social sciences and the humanities will be in a key position. To a broad-based business school multi-disciplinary research in social sciences and the humanities is absolutely essential. At CBS, we find it important to conduct excellent research that is relevant to the corporate sector as well as the individual citizen. So the focus of the new EU framework programme, which is to solve the challenges of society, is very exciting," says Per Holten-Andersen, President at CBS.

Contrubute to growth and jobs
According to Morten Østergaard, Danish Minister for Science, Innovation and Higher Education, social sciences and the humanities play a very important part in our search of solutions to current and future societal challenges.

- In order to develop solutions to large challenges of society, such as for instance climate changes or an older population, we need knowledge about our society and about human behaviour and interaction from different perspectives. Social sciences and the humanities can contribute to just that, which is why it is a great initiative to place focus on Horizon2020 and how different sciences can contribute to growth and job creation in Denmark and Europe, says Morten Østergaard.

Put all knowledge into play
The conference is organised by CBS in collaboration with Britta Thomsen, Adjunct Professor at CBS and member of the European Parliament for the Danish Social Democrats. The conference will give the participants general insight into Horizon2020, but will particularly focus on one of CBS' major strengths; interdisciplinary research:

- If we are to solve the huge challenges we are facing right now, it is essential that we put all our knowledge resources into play. That Horizon2020 integrates social sciences and the humanities therefore sends a strong message. It is also very positive that the gender perspective is far more important, both in the recruitment of researchers, but also as far as research content is concerned. It is an expression of the coherent framework of this programme, which creates great opportunities for multiple solutions to the large challenges faced by Europe", says Britta Thomsen.

Among others, the keynote speakers of the conference are: Teresa RIERA MADURELL, Member of the European Parliament, Committee on Industry, Research and Energy and Rapporteur of Horizon 2020, Maria Da Graça CARVALHO, Member of the European Parliament, Co-Rapporteur for the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, Britta THOMSEN, Member of the European Parliament, Committee on Industry, Research and Energy and Per Holten-Andersen, PRESIDENT OF CBS.

Morten Østergaard, Danish Minister for Science, Innovation and Higher Education will open the conference.

For more information, please contact Philipp Alexander Ostrowicz, Senior Research Adviser, pao.research@cbs.dk or Mikael Koldby, Public Relations Officer, mk.ea@cbs.dk