Strategic Challenges

Introduction

Our strategic plan identifies seven areas of strategic challenge for economic and social research. These challenges build on existing research, help consolidate knowledge but also recognise emerging key areas for social science. The priorities support the Government's Ten Year Framework for Science and Innovation, enabling the UK to continue to provide world class independent social science which impacts on the economy and wellbeing in the UK and beyond.

The seven areas of strategic challenge are:

• Global Economic Performance, Policy and Management
• Health and Wellbeing
• Understanding Individual Behaviour
• New Technology, Innovation and Skills
• Environment, Energy and Resilience
• Security, Conflict and Justice
• Social Diversity and Population Dynamics

Our response to these issues is to invest a significant proportion of the ESRC budget in large-scale activities such as centres, programmes, groups and networks in these priority areas and we currently have over 50 such investments. Most of these are interdisciplinary in nature and a large number are funded jointly with other research councils or other partner organisations.

Download a list of the ESRC main investments by Strategic Challenge (PDF).