Structure and Governance
General Assembly, Boards and Committees
The ESS ERIC is governed by a General Assembly which appoints the Director. The governance arrangements are detailed in the ESS ERIC Statutes and are elaborated as required in the Standing Orders.
The Commission Implementing Decision setting up the ESS as an ERIC was published on 30 November 2013.
The activities of the ESS ERIC are detailed in its Annual Activity Reports. The Annual Activity Report 2017-2018 is available.
Members of the General Assembly are represented by a National Representative. The Chair of the General Assembly is Professor Michael Breen, Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick, Ireland. The Deputy Chair is Professor Algis Krupavičius, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania.
The General Assembly has three standing committees: a Scientific Advisory Board, a Methods Advisory Board and a Finance Committee. More information on their activity and membership can be found below.
ESS ERIC General Assembly, National Representatives
- Austria: Matthias Reiter-Pázmándy, Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research
- Belgium: Bart Dumolyn, delegated representative from the Flemish Department of Economy, Science and Innovation (representing the Flemish Community); Aziz Naji, delegate for the FPS Science policy (representing the federal government); and Marc Vanholsbeeck, delegated representative from the Federation Wallonia-Brussels (representing the French-speaking Community)
- Bulgaria: Dimitar Asenov, Science Directorate, Ministry of Education and Science
- Croatia: Staša Skenžić, Ministry of Science and Education
- Cyprus: Christos Aspris, Directorate General for European Programmes, Coordination and Development
- Czechia: Petr Ventluka, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports
- Estonia: Erle Rikmann, Analysis and Statistics Department, Ministry of Social Affairs
- Finland: Päivi Messo, Academy of Finland
- France: Pascal Buleon, School of Advanced Studies in Social Sciences (EHSS), acting in association with the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) and the National Foundation for Political Sciences
- Germany: Monika van Ooyen, Federal Ministry of Education and Research
- Hungary: Orsolya Rigó-Ditzendy, National Research, Development and Innovation Office
- Iceland: Guðbjörg Andrea Jónsdóttir, University of Iceland
- Ireland: Eavan O’Brien, Irish Research Council
- Italy: Dr. Stefano Sacchi, National Institute for Public Policy Analysis (INAPP)
- Latvia: Diāna Laipniece, Ministry of Education and Science
- Lithuania: Professor Algis Krupavičius, delegated representative of the Ministry of Education and Science
- Netherlands: Joris Voskuilen, Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research
- Norway: Ministry of Education and Research, represented by Bjørn Tore Kjellemo, Research Council of Norway
- Poland: Dariusz Drewniak, Ministry of Science and Higher Education
- Portugal: Analia Torres, University of Lisbon
- Slovakia: Robert Szabó, Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic
- Slovenia: Dr. Albin Kralj, Ministry of Education, Science and Sport
- Sweden: Susanna Bylin, delegated representative from the Swedish Research Council
- UK: Joe Ellery, Economic and Social Research Council (Host Country)
Switzerland is an Observer and is represented by Professor Georg Lutz, FORS (Swiss Foundation for Research in Social Sciences).
Countries with Guest status in Round 9 included Albania, represented by Xaira Shurdha, Deputy Prime Minister's Cabinet, Denmark, represented by Katinka Stenbjoern, Danish Agency for Science and Higher Education, Israel, represented by Dr Alex Altshuler, Ministry of Science and Technology, Montenegro, represented by Professor Ilija Vujačić, Montenegrin Academy of Sciences and Arts, Serbia, represented by Dr. Goran Bašić, Institute of Social Sciences, and Spain, represented by Inmaculada Figueroa Rojas, Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities.
Countries with Guest status in Round 10 include North Macedonia, represented by Dr Mirjana Najchevska, Saints Cyril and Methodius University, and Serbia, represented by Dr. Goran Bašić, Institute of Social Sciences.
ESS ERIC Scientific Advisory Board (SAB)
The Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) comprises ten members, appointed by the General Assembly following nominations from its Members.
- Professor Hajo Boomgaarden, University of Vienna, Austria
- Professor Piet Bracke, University of Ghent, Belgium
- Professor Patrizia Catellani, Catholic University of Milan, Italy
- Professor Terje Andreas Eikemo, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Professor Max Kaase (formerly Jacobs University, Bremen, Germany)
- Dr. Pedro Magalhães, University of Lisbon, Portugal
- Professor Anu Realo, University of Tartu, Estonia
- Professor Nicolas Sauger, Sciences Po, Paris, France
- Professor Jacqueline Scott, Queens’ College, University of Cambridge, UK
- Professor Christian Staerklé, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
The ESS ERIC Director, Rory Fitzgerald (ESS ERIC HQ at City, University of London) and the ESS ERIC Deputy Director - Scientific, Dr. Angelika Scheuer (Core Scientific Team - GESIS) attend SAB meetings as observers.
ESS ERIC Methods Advisory Board (MAB)
The Methods Advisory Board (MAB) advises the General Assembly, the Director and the Core Scientific Team on technical and methodological aspects of the survey. It comprises six members, appointed by the General Assembly following nominations from its Members.
- Professor Annelies Blom, University of Mannheim, Germany
- Professor Mick Couper, ISR Michigan, USA
- Professor Giancarlo Gasperoni, University of Bologna, Italy
- Professor Sylvia Kritzinger, University of Vienna, Austria
- Professor Edith de Leeuw, Utrecht University, Netherlands
- Professor Patrick Sturgis, University of Southampton, UK
The ESS ERIC Director, Rory Fitzgerald (ESS ERIC HQ at City, University of London) attends MAB meetings as an observer.
ESS ERIC Finance Committee (FINCOM)
The Finance Committee (FINCOM) is comprised of four members, two of which are National Representatives at the General Assembly. FINCOM advises the General Assembly and the Director on the financial health of the ESS ERIC. There are currently two vacancies on the Committee
- Dr. Eckard Kämper, DFG, Germany (external expert)
- Joe Ellery, UKRI ESRC, UK (chair, national representative)
The ESS ERIC Director, Rory Fitzgerald (ESS ERIC HQ at City, University of London) attends FINCOM meetings as observer.
Director and Committees of the Director
The ESS ERIC Headquarters are hosted by City, University of London (UK). The Centre was established in 2003 by its Founding Director Roger Jowell, who led it until his death in December 2011.
Prior to October 2003, the ESS was hosted by the National Centre for Social Research, whose generous support and development made the project possible.
The current complement of staff at ESS ERIC HQ is:
- Professor Rory Fitzgerald (Director, ESS ERIC), Dr. Eric Harrison (Deputy Director, ESS ERIC), Dr. Sarah Butt (Deputy Director, ESS ERIC), Dr. Gianmaria Bottoni, Esther Bourne, Niccolò Ghirelli, Mary Keane, Dr. Lorna Ryan, Luca Salini, Dr. Elissa Sibley, Stefan Swift
The Director, Professor Rory Fitzgerald, is supported in the design and implementation of the ESS ERIC Work Programme by the Core Scientific Team (CST), comprising seven institutions. These are:
Deputy Directors are in post in two institutions:
- Deputy Director: Dr. Eric Harrison, ESS ERIC HQ, City, University of London
- Deputy Director: Dr. Sarah Butt, ESS ERIC HQ, City, University of London
- Deputy Director - External: Dr. Angelika Scheuer, GESIS
More information on the membership of the CST can be found below.
ESS ERIC Core Scientific Team (CST), institutions and members
- ESS ERIC HQ, City, University of London (UK): Professor Rory Fitzgerald (Director, ESS ERIC), Dr. Sarah Butt (Deputy Director, ESS ERIC), Niccolò Ghirelli, Luca Salini, Stefan Swift
- GESIS - Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences (Germany): Dr. Angelika Scheuer, Roberto Briceño-Rosas, Dr. Brita Dorer
- NSD - Norwegian Centre for Research Data (Norway): Dr. Knut Kalgraff Skjåk, Dr. Bodil Agasøster
- SCP - The Netherlands Institute for Social Research (Netherlands): Dr. Joost Kappelhof, Dr. Sander Steijn
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Spain): Dr. Wiebke Weber, Dr. Melanie Revilla, Dr. Diana Zavala Rojas
- University of Essex (UK): Professor Peter Lynn, Dr. Olena Kaminska
- University of Ljubljana (Slovenia): Dr. Brina Malnar, May Doušak
The Director also convenes a National Coordinators’ Forum, attended by the National Coordinators appointed by ESS ERIC Members, Observers and Guests. More information on the National Coordinators can be found below.
ESS National Coordinators (NCs)
- Albania: Alban Nelaj
- Austria: Professor Johannes Pollak and Dr. Peter Grand, Institute for Advanced Studies (IHS)
- Belgium: Professor Bart Meuleman, University of Leuven and Patrick Italiano, University of Liège
- Bulgaria: Dr. Lilia Dimova, Agency for Social Analyses
- Croatia: Professor Dragan Bagić, University of Zagreb
- Cyprus: Professor Marios Vryonides, European University Cyprus
- Czechia: Dr. Klára Plecitá, Institute of Sociology of the Czech Academy of Sciences
- Denmark: Torben Fridberg, VIVE – The Danish Center for Social Science Research
- Estonia: Dr. Mare Ainsaar, University of Tartu
- Finland: Professor Heikki Ervasti, University of Turku
- France: Anne Cornilleau, Sciences Po
- Germany: Dr. Oshrat Hochman, GESIS – Leibniz-Institute for the Social Sciences
- Hungary: Dr. Bence Ságvári, Hungarian Academy of Sciences
- Iceland: Professor Sigrún Ólafsdóttir, University of Iceland
- Ireland: Professor Philip O'Connell, Professor Mathew Creighton and Dr Micheál Collins, UCD
- Israel: Dr. Alex Altshuler, Ministry of Science and Technology
- Italy: Sveva Balduini, National Institute for Public Policy Analysis (INAPP)
- Latvia: Dr. Jurijs Ņikišins, University of Latvia
- Montenegro: Professor Olivera Komar, University of Montenegro
- Netherlands: Professor Gerbert Kraaykamp, Radboud University
- Norway: Professor Kristen Ringdal, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
- Poland: Professor Paweł Sztabiński and Professor Franciszek Sztabiński, Polish Academy of Sciences
- Portugal: Dr. Alice Ramos, Institute of Social Sciences (ICS)
- Serbia: Dr. Dragan Stanojević, University of Belgrade
- Slovakia: Dr. Denisa Fedáková, Slovak Academy of Sciences
- Slovenia: Dr. Slavko Kurdija, University of Ljubljana
- Spain: Professor Javier de Esteban Curiel, Centre for Sociological Research
- Sweden: Professor Mikael Hjerm, Umeå University
- Switzerland: Dr. Michèle Ernst Stähli, FORS - Swiss Centre of Expertise in the Social Sciences
- UK: Alun Humphrey, NatCen Social Research