SocioComplex III, a network coordinated by the UOC to promote research into complex systems applied to social and economic problems, launched

Explaining the behaviour of human beings, improving urban infrastructures and controlling epidemics are some of the social and economic issues tackled by research into complex systems. It is a field of science that uses tools from statistical physics and new computational technologies to analyse and leverage the large amounts of data generated in the last 20 years thanks to human-digital interaction and the increase in the sensorization of human activities. To respond to this major challenge, the SocioComplex III Thematic Network has been launched, funded by Spain's Ministry of Science and Innovation, with the aim of promoting synergies and scientific collaborations, as well as the training of young researchers. Javier Borge-Holthoefer, principal investigator of the Complex Systems (CoSIN3) group at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) Internet Interdisciplinary Institute (IN3), is leading this initiative, which brings together the leading research groups in this field, spread across 13 research centres and universities throughout Spain.

"Complexity science is in a privileged position to provide a disruptive and innovative approach to societal challenges. Scientific approaches in disciplines such as economics, political science, linguistics, urban planning and social sciences have traditionally been limited by available information and practices, with almost no connection to those of other disciplines. By integrating complexity science - used to characterize systems whose many parts interact with one other in multiple ways - together with new information and communication technologies (ICT) and social sciences, we believe it's possible to create a paradigm shift by facilitating a co-evolution of ICT and society," explained Borge-Holthoefer.

Pandemic data analysis

A recent example of the relevance of research in this field is the experience with the pandemic, in which complexity sciences have played a key role, especially in making sense of large amounts of unstructured information. "As biomedical researchers sought effective treatment regimens and a successful vaccine, the complex systems community rapidly deployed the most advanced analytical tools to model disease transmission dynamics. In this way, complex systems professionals developed models with useful analytical derivations which, when working with empirical data, allowed them to make predictions," Borge-Holthoefer explained.

In such a context, he said, the network can help us "plant the seeds to foster research in this field, leveraging joint collaborations, with in-depth work that, whilst not guaranteeing results, facilitates the creation of research opportunities".

In addition to the UOC, the research groups forming part of SocioComplex III belong to the Technical University of Madrid (UPM), the University of Barcelona (UB), the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M), the Institute for Cross-Disciplinary Physics and Complex Systems (IFISC-CSIC-University of the Balearic Islands), the University of Burgos (UBU), the Universitat Rovira i Virgili, the Universitat de València, IMDEA Networks, the University of Zaragoza, the University of Cantabria, IFCA-CSIC and the University of Alcalá.

More than a decade of scientific collaboration

This network boasts a solid background in different research groups that has been consolidated in recent years. In fact, collaborations between some members of SocioComplex III commenced more than a decade ago, and it was the wish to build upon these partnerships that led to the first SocioComplex network (2015-2017), coordinated by Josep Perelló (UB), and SocioComplex II (2020-2022), coordinated by Rosa Benito (UPM). "All these efforts have forged a cohesive community with a significant international presence and scientific impact. The members of the SocioComplex networks already have a long and successful track record addressing aspects such as human cooperation, risk in financial markets, epidemics and urban infrastructure," said Borge-Holthoefer.

The network is organized into three thematic areas: social systems, led by Juan Carlos Losada (UPM), urban science, led by José J. Ramasco (IFISC) and economics and finance, led by Luís Izquierdo (UBU).

An inter- and trans-disciplinary network

One of the main strengths of SocioComplex III lies in its heterogeneous mix of researchers from different disciplines such as physics, engineering, economics and the social sciences. Additionally, one of the key characteristics of the initiative is the promotion of inter- and trans-disciplinary collaborations, which "aren't limited to bringing together scientists from different fields, but also try to address a specific topic from different disciplines in order to define the strategies that will be used to work cooperatively, giving rise to a final product that is more than the sum of the individual contributions of each participating researcher", added Borge-Holthoefer.

Attracting new talent

One of the core missions of SocioComplex III is to attract new talented members who can be trained in complex systems and join the research groups participating in the network. So, one of the strategic lines is the organization of courses, including a summer school with master classes by some of the leading international researchers in the field, so that young researchers can get a head start in the interdisciplinary work that is characteristic of this field. "The idea is to give young people access to work, and to the philosophy and orientation of this research into complex systems, as applied to social issues," said Borge-Holthoefer.

Research by the UOC's CoSIN3 group contributes to several UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), including 3, Good Health and Well-being; 11, Sustainable Cities and Communities; and 13, Climate Action.

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Rubén Permuy
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UOC R&I

The UOC's research and innovation (R&I) is helping overcome pressing challenges faced by global societies in the 21st century by studying interactions between technology and human & social sciences with a specific focus on the network society, e-learning and e-health.

Over 500 researchers and more than 50 research groups work in the UOC's seven faculties, its eLearning Research programme and its two research centres: the Internet Interdisciplinary Institute (IN3) and the eHealth Center (eHC).

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