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. Read the latest report: Annual Activity Report 2021-2022.

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 Dr Susanna Bylin, Swedish Research Council, Sweden.

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

ESS ERIC Scientific Advisory Board (SAB)

ESS ERIC Methods Advisory Board (MAB)

ESS ERIC Finance Committee (FINCOM)

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:

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:

More information on the membership of the CST can be found below.

ESS ERIC Core Scientific Team (CST), institutions and members

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)