SRP-Onderzoekszwaartepunt: Demographic and Societal Challenges of the 21st Century

The SRP Demographic and Societal Challenges of the 21st Century is situated in the Interface Demography (ID) research group. ID is the multidisciplinary unit for social demography and population studies at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB). Central to our research program are the terms ‘social sustainability’ and ‘social equity’. With this we refer to the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. Social sustainability and social equity are about equality, and in particular about equal rights and opportunities for all sections of the population to meet their basic needs. These basic needs refer here to an acceptable quality of life in terms of the environment, health, employment, human rights and diversity. It is therefore no coincidence that these domains are central to ID's six ‘research domains’: (1) sustainable work and employment; (2) a sustainable living environment; (3) equitable and non-discriminatory social relations; (4) global population issues and migration; (5) inequalities in health and mortality; and (6) and research data management and knowledge. With the requested funds for the SRP, we aim to create the ‘fertile context’ necessary for ID to continue to become one of the most important European centres for socio-demographic research. The requested funds will first be used to create a stable and stimulating research environment, by investing in our databases, the coaching of our researchers and the fine- tuning of our communication strategy and the image of our centre towards policy makers and the public. Second, we will use the funds to stimulate new research. Among other things, a new data collection project on the living and working conditions of today's major migrant groups in Belgium will be launched. Based on our previous achievements, accumulated experience and growing international and national networks, we are confident that the requested funds will allow us to further develop ID into a distinguished international socio-demographic research centre..

The SRP Demographic and Societal Challenges of the 21st Century is situated in the Interface Demography (ID) research group. ID is the multidisciplinary unit for social demography and population studies at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB). Central to our research program are the terms ‘social sustainability’ and ‘social equity’. With this we refer to the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. Social sustainability and social equity are about equality, and in particular about equal rights and opportunities for all sections of the population to meet their basic needs. These basic needs refer here to an acceptable quality of life in terms of the environment, health, employment, human rights and diversity. It is therefore no coincidence that these domains are central to ID's six ‘research domains’: (1) sustainable work and employment; (2) a sustainable living environment; (3) equitable and non-discriminatory social relations; (4) global population issues and migration; (5) inequalities in health and mortality; and (6) and research data management and knowledge. With the requested funds for the SRP, we aim to create the ‘fertile context’ necessary for ID to continue to become one of the most important European centres for socio-demographic research. The requested funds will first be used to create a stable and stimulating research environment, by investing in our databases, the coaching of our researchers and the fine- tuning of our communication strategy and the image of our centre towards policy makers and the public. Second, we will use the funds to stimulate new research. Among other things, a new data collection project on the living and working conditions of today's major migrant groups in Belgium will be launched. Based on our previous achievements, accumulated experience and growing international and national networks, we are confident that the requested funds will allow us to further develop ID into a distinguished international socio-demographic research centre..