"The EULAKS project is premised on the assumption that by providing in-depth insights into socio-economic and policy development processes of other regions the Socio-Economic Sciences and Humanities (SSH) can make a valuable contribution to meeting the EU’s ambitious challenges as set out by the Lisbon and Gothenburg Summits, particularly in the context of the opening of the European Research Area (ERA) to third countries and regions. The project is aimed at raising the profile of SSH research activities and networks in Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries in order to make sure that the ERA can fully benefit from key contributions that substantially improve the understanding of the changing socio-economic dynamics of the Information and Knowledge Society in both regions. A principal goal of the project is the creation of a space for horizontal learning between communities of SSH scholars and communities of relevant stakeholders and policy-makers. To attain this goal, the project will connect European and Latin American and Caribbean communities of scholars, research organisations and key agencies from a broad rage of SSH disciplines that vary in their research focus and methodological preference yet have made significant contributions to the building of a shared understanding of the Knowledge Society. EULAKS attaches priority to the promotion of the shared EU-LAC Knowledge Area through the support for the forging of close bi-regional ties between SSH research communities with a focus on the design, implementation and monitoring of science, technology and innovation (STI) policies."