ERIH Governance Structure

ERIH Governance

ERIH has a complex governance structure that reflects the historical development of the project and the nature of its stakeholders.

Standing Committee for the Humanities

The overall responsibility for ERIH lies with the ESF Standing Committee for the Humanities (SCH). In addition to having identified the pressing need for ERIH and discussed the initial project, the SCH houses, through the SCH secretariat, the operational management of ERIH. It also vouches for the scientific integrity of the process, i.a by approving the publication of initial lists.

ESF Member Organisations

The c. 79 ESF Member Organisations (MOs) research funding and research performing organisations and academies. After requesting the development of a reference index for the Humanities at a European level, MOs made and continue to make resources available for the running of ERIH.

In the early stages of the project, MOs compiled lists of journals to be considered for inclusion in ERIH  through consultation with scholars or by relying on existing national reference tools.  These lists were then analysed and assessed by Expert Panels in order to create draft lists.  The draft lists were offered for wide consultation in 2006 in advance of being published as 'initial' lists in 2007. MOs are also responsible for appropriate uses of the 'initial lists' by their organisations. Their ongoing involvement in ERIH is coordinated through individuals who agree to act as ERIH national contact points. 

ERIH Steering Committee  

The ERIH Steering Committee  has been appointed by the SCH. The Steering Committee is responsible for overall quality control of the project, for example, the comparative calibration of the lists. Members also devise the ERIH guidelines that are to be applied to the ERIH lists by Member Organisations and Expert Panels. The Steering Committee  accompanies the work of their Chair (list of ERIH Steering Committee members).