Social Science Collaboration India – the Netherlands

The Indian Council for Social Science Research (ICSSR) and the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) are working together:

• to strengthen co-operation in the fields of social science and innovation
• to address the pressing current problems in society, to strengthen research capabilities and to encourage scientific excellence in India and The Netherlands through interactions of scholars at institutions in both countries
• to promote multidisciplinary social science research in areas of medium and long term interest, particularly those related to processes of social change.

Both Councils are interested in continuing and where appropriate intensifying cooperation, in order to create opportunities for individual researchers, to enhance scientific excellence, and to further develop science for society. This bilateral cooperation is also intended as a stepping stone for multilateral research and networks, to consolidate strengths in both Europe and Asia.

The following thematic areas have special emphasis in the collaboration: 

• Changing life courses
- family, gender, ageing
- ethnicity, religion and identity formation
- employment and social security
- education
• Science, technology and society (STS)
  - environment
  - ICT
  - biotechnology
  - health
• Global relationships
  - conflict and security
  - international migration
  - international economic relations
• Poverty and inequality

Both organisations have a long history together through the successful cooperation between ICSSR and WOTRO for the Indo-Dutch Programme on Alternatives in Development (IDPAD), which started in 1981 and ended in 2006. ICSSR and NWO decided in November 2006 to continue their collaboration with a new Memorandum of Understanding for the following activities:

• Exchange visits of scholars
• Workshops, seminars, conferences
• Joint research proposals and projects