Conference titled “Research Infrastructures in Social Sciences: Spotlight on European Social Survey and Artificial Intelligence” was held in Belgrade on February 1.
The conference brought together several dozen participants primarily from the Western Balkan and Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, and Croatia, among whom a significant number of policymakers, representatives from the European Commission, ESS ERIC, social scientists involved in the ESS, AI experts, and representatives from Civil Society Organizations.
The aims were to discuss potential benefits of AI for the ESS, to discus the current state of research infrastructures, policies, and collaborative initiatives fostering regional cooperation, and to discuss a leveraging ESS data to drive evidence-based policy making.
It was concluded, first, that there are many potential ways in which AI may be used within ESS.
Second, it was concluded that research in social sciences often requires significant funding, yet limited resources across the Western Balkan region hinder the development of robust infrastructures and initiatives. Investment in research is not prioritized enough by regional governments.
Third, there is a challenge of underutilization of data in policymaking processes across the region. Establishing mechanisms for regular dialogue and institutionalizing a culture of evidence-based policymaking is crucial for maximizing the impact of given data.
