Benoît Rihoux
Lead EB member directing MethodsNET strategy, finance, and global coordination
About us
premier destination for transdisciplinary collaboration and cutting-edge methods training in the dynamic realm of human sciences.
Our DNA
We are a global not-for-profit membership-based association, bringing together methods experts and methods users across multiple disciplines. Our mission is to provide global accessibility to cutting-edge research methods training, to facilitate methods development and innovation, and to promote pluralism in research methodologies.
Reducing the access gap: aiming at global equal access!
We observe that access to cutting-edge methodological resources comes with a rising financial cost, and increasingly follows a market logic. The consequence is that high-quality resources, including sharp PhD-level training and advising, are simply not accessible to many beyond the well-funded, stronger research universities in a limited set of countries. Bottom line: there is currently huge inequality, and MethodsNET’s mission is to take concrete action to reduce this access gap.
So: ‘global equal access’ is not a mere slogan for us – we strive to achieve it for real. How? By designing our membership fees so that persons with less financial resources pay a much lower fee, and so that students (including PhD students) have access to membership at a symbolic cost. Also via our MethodsNET Communities that provide access to multiple digital resources – including ‘live’ webinars, troubleshooting sessions etc. – and that enables each and every individual MethodsNET member to weave their own Methods Excellence Network. By providing free access to our searchable methods experts’ database. By driving the Africa Methods Excellence Initiative with multiple partners, North and South. And by publicly sharing knowledge via our other channels (free Youtube videos, in particular).
Not-for-profit: how we guarantee this?
The whole concept of MethodsNET is to provide a service that is as affordable as possible. We therefore design each event so that it ‘flies’ budget wise, keeping costs under control, and ensuring that any surplus, if applicable, is reinjected into further MethodsNET events or services. Naturally we must also cover fixed costs such as the administrative staff as well as diverse operational costs.
Our accounts are managed by a certified accountant who ensures this not-for profit nature, and our detailed accounts are subject to yearly scrutiny by the Belgian Ministry of Finance, which verifies that we abide by the strict not-for-profit regulations of Belgian ‘Asbl/Vzw’ (our legal form as not-for-profit organization).
As soon as our 2024 accounts (first year as membership-based associated) are validated, we will publicly share a summary of these accounts on this pag
Join us in our quest to further develop research methodologies, bridge disciplinary divides, innovate and unlock new frontiers of knowledge
Become a Member!Why MethodsNET?
Because methods matter! Indeed there is no strong research without strong methods. At MethodsNET, we understand the pivotal role that methods play in shaping robust research and analysis across a broad span of disciplines, from social sciences to behavioral sciences, health studies, and beyond. Our platform is dedicated to breaking down disciplinary barriers and fostering a culture of methodological pluralism and innovation. Indeed researchers from distinct disciplines may bump into very similar methodological challenges – and thus there is a lot to learn and to share across disciplines when it comes to finding adequate solutions!
As you navigate through our website, you’ll discover our commitment to addressing the diverse needs of human science researchers worldwide. Whether you’re seeking to enhance your methodological toolkit (as a methods user) or to produce and share methodological innovations (as a methods expert), MethodsNET is here as your Methods Excellence Network.
Our Disciplines
At MethodsNET, we define ‘human sciences’ as encompassing the multiple disciplines that delve into the social, behavioral, biological, cultural, and philosophical dimensions of human life. Our diverse activities and resources are designed to cater to the diverse interests and needs of researchers – both methods experts and methods users – across these multiple disciplines. The main clusters are (A-Z by disciplines in every cluster):
Social Sciences
Anthropology, business/management/organization, communication/media studies, criminology/sociolegal studies, demography/population studies, economics, political science, sociology
Natural Science-related
Evolutionary biology, geography, human ecology, land use research.
Behavioral Sciences
Education, pedagogy, psychology (including diverse subdisciplines).
Computational Science-related
Applied statistics, data science, information science, information systems, logic, network science.
Health-related
Biostatistics, epidemiology, public health/health systems/services research, health and society research.
Other & Interdisciplinary
Area studies, development studies, environmental studies, gender/women/feminist/queer studies, history, law/legal studies, linguistics, migration studies, urban studies.
What We Do?
Empowering Researchers Globally
We provide global access to cutting-edge research methods training, ensuring researchers at all career stages have the tools to excel and innovate.
Fostering Innovation
We facilitate methods development and innovation, driving progress in research through collaboration and pioneering new approaches.
Championing Methodological Pluralism
We promote pluralism in research methodologies, celebrating diverse approaches to expand the horizons of transformative research.
At MethodsNET, we're more than just a network - we're a global community united by a shared passion for research methods. Whether you're in academia, business, government, or civil society, our inclusive conversation and innovation space provides the global platform for meaningful dialogue and collaboration.
Mission & Vision
MethodsNET pursues three overarching goals to globally contribute to the further development of research methodologies, and to their cutting-edge and impactful application, across human sciences:
Accessibility
We believe that world-class methodological education should be accessible to all across human sciences. Through our Summer School, training workshops, partner training events and the Africa Methods Excellence Initiative, we provide unparalleled opportunities for researchers and professionals to enhance their methodological skills and knowledge.
Pluralism
Diversity fuels innovation. We are committed to fostering dialogue and innovation across methodologies in the human sciences. Our Summer School, Conference and MethodsNET Communities serve as catalysts for cross-disciplinary and cross-methods collaboration and methodological advancement.
Support
We’re here to support you every step of the way. Whether you’re navigating the complexities of research methodologies or seeking methodological support, MethodsNET offers a range of resources and services. From Community Tools to services for Partner Institutions to diverse workshops, we’re dedicated to empowering the scholarly community and professionals alike.
At MethodsNET, we're more than just a network - we're a global community united by a shared passion for research methods. Whether you're in academia, business, government, or civil society, our inclusive conversation and innovation space provides the global platform for meaningful dialogue and collaboration.
Organizational Setup
MethodsNET has adopted a lean governance structure, designed to provide stability, to ensure that MethodsNET remains collectively driven and can expand further, to enable the planned rotation of leadership, and to enable diverse profiles of persons to get involved and co-build MethodsNET.
Our governance structure currently comprises:
The Executive Board
The MethodsNET Executive Board (EB) discusses, decides upon and ensures the implementation of strategic decisions, coordinates daily operations and communicates on behalf of MethodsNET.
The Advisory Board
The advisory board provides strategic guidance, expertise, and support to ensure the organization achieves its mission and goals effectively.
The Support team
The support team carries out the daily MethodsNET operations and lends support to the EB members and to the members of the Event Organizing Committees, under the coordination of the MethodsNET Chair and the Executive Coordinator.
The Executive Board
The Support Team
Anna Foley
Executive Administrator
Catherine Goossens
Administration Assistant
Bruna Távora
Strategic Support
Catalina Correa
Marketing & Social Media Manager
A bit of History
2021 -2025
How did MethodsNET come about?
MethodsNET was first launched in September 2021 by four Academic Coordinators: Derek Beach, Levi Littvay, Benoît Rihoux, and Cai Wilkinson. Born from their extensive experience in organizing European methods training events and for teaching methods around the globe, MethodsNET quickly gained momentum, attracting over 200 founding members from around the world, united by their passion for advancing research methodologies.
Operating initially as a voluntary global network, MethodsNET soon took the legal form of a Belgium-based nonprofit organization, dedicated to three main pillars of activity: hosting an annual Summer School, endorsing methods training events, and disseminating validated research methods-related information.
The success of the first two editions of its Summer School, held at Radboud University Nijmegen from 2022 onwards, underscored the growing demand for comprehensive methods training. MethodsNET began to realize its potential to meet the diverse needs of methods experts, users, and institutional representatives.
Driven by a commitment to excellence, MethodsNET decided, in the Spring of 2023, to embark on a strategic journey to scale up its operations and establish itself as a global membership-based association. This led to some first agreements with some partner institutions, the launch of our full website in March 2024, the launch of individual membership in the Spring of 2024, and to the organization of three Launch events in October-November 2024.