Second impact study published by the European Social Survey (ESS)

This report presents the findings of the second impact study of the European Social Survey (ESS) ERIC. It is a follow-up to the original impact study of the ESS conducted in 2016/17, also by Technopolis. The purpose of this study is to identify the academic, non-academic and teaching impacts of the ESS.

This study was commissioned by the ESS ERIC and conducted by Technopolis, with bibliometric analysis from the centre for Science and Technology Studies (CWTS) at the University of Leiden. The study was funded under the European Commission Horizon2020 grant SUSTAIN-2 (reference 871063).

Since the first impact study in 2016/17, the total ESS user base has roughly doubled from 100,000 to 200,000 registered users, of which around 70% are students, 305 academics and 10% non-academics. The volume of academic publications using the ESS has also roughly doubled, and ESS-based work is highly impactful. There are several teaching hotspots, with over 40 institutions across Europe with at least 500 confirmed registered users.

The study also found many examples of policy impact, including underpinning universal basic income trials in Finland and the Netherlands, and informing active ageing policy in Ireland and providing evidence on the effects of Covid-lockdowns on elderly citizens in Hungary.

As with the first impact study, this second study also highlights elements of good practice to boost impact, including commitment to long-term participation, as well as outreach and dissemination activities.

Read the full report here.