heidelberg, 08/06/06 career options day « researchers in europe: one profession, multiple careers...

Heidelberg, 08/06/06

Career options dayCareer options day

« Researchers in Europe: « Researchers in Europe:

one profession, multiple one profession, multiple careers »careers »

Stefania BettiniResearchers’ career

DG ResearchEuropean Commission


Research: a profession with Research: a profession with multiple careers?multiple careers?

• Current situation

• The action-based answers at European level (integrated European strategy for HR in R&D, European labour market for researchers…)

• Food for thought (the European Charter and Code, FP7…)


Current situationCurrent situation

• European research needs sufficient, mobilemobile and well-trained researchers

• Without researchers, Europe will not be able to secure and expand its role in science, technology and innovation


Main problems?Main problems?

Lack of attractivenessLack of attractiveness

• Long and hard apprenticeship

• Poor rewards and uncertain future, with short term postdoctoral appointments

• Close, non transparent recruitment procedures


Other problems…Other problems…

Administrative and legal obstaclesAdministrative and legal obstacles still hamper geographical and intersectoral mobility:

Researchers risk losing advantages gained in the country of origin, such as:

• career progress • pension and social security rights


= the = the EU weakness EU weakness (not the quantity or quality of PhD holders, but

the quantity of researchersquantity of researchers…)

24,2

5,4

18,5

9

23,1

10,1

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Share of Science andEngineering graduates

(% of new degrees, 2003)

Researchers per 1000 labourforce (full-time equivalent, 2003)

EU-25

US

Japan


The action-based answers at European level: The action-based answers at European level: an an integrated European strategy for human integrated European strategy for human

resources in R&Dresources in R&D

Developed by Commission together with Member States and Stakeholders within the Lisbon Strategy for growth and jobs and the Barcelona 3% Research Investment Target , building building upup and and onon human resourceshuman resources requires:

1. Developing genuine European career perspectives for researchersEuropean career perspectives for researchers, enhancing their statusstatus and attractiveness attractiveness of this profession and related careers

2. Improving public recognitionpublic recognition of researchers’ roles and contribution to society and citizens’ welfare as well as attracting more young people into researcher profession

3. Substantial increasing of fundingincreasing of funding for training, mobility and career development of researchers (« Marie Curie actions » at EU level)


LeitmotivLeitmotiv

Retention of researchers in EuropeRetention of researchers in Europe

The attractiveness of research careersattractiveness of research careers

= a European labour market for = a European labour market for researchersresearchers


Improving the position and careers of researchers in Europe requires joint effortsjoint efforts:

• At European level• At Member State and regional level• As well as from industry, universities, research

organisations and social partners


• Improving the public recognitionpublic recognition of researchers’ roles and contribution to society and citizens’ welfare

• AttractingAttracting more young people into the researcher profession

• But above all, foster the career development of researchersfoster the career development of researchers:

If researchers are provided with a fair professional environment with good career prospects, then they will stay in, come to, or return to Europe

Joint efforts to:Joint efforts to:I. I. Developing genuine European career perspectives Developing genuine European career perspectives

and and II. Improving public recognitionII. Improving public recognition


«CharterCharter» = reference point for the career management of researchers as professionalsresearchers as professionals, addressing both researchers and employers/funders on minimum entitlements and obligations

«Code of ConductCode of Conduct» = reference point for transparency and meritbased recruitment, fair recognition of qualifications and mobility experiences


Joint efforts to: Joint efforts to: Improving overall environmentImproving overall environment

• Commission&Member States to remove obstaclesremove obstacles to mobile researchers and making the environment more appealing for researchers in Europe (since 2001)

• Structured information servicesStructured information services and customised local assistancecustomised local assistance throughout Europe: «The Researcher’s Mobility Portal» and «ERA-MORE» (since 2003 and 2004 respectively)

• Launch of legal and administrative measureslegal and administrative measures to better take into account the specific needs of researchers (« Researcher’s Visa » Directive adopted by Council October 2005)

(but more progress is needed on social security and taxationsocial security and taxation related issues)


• Financing of researchers’ training at an early stagetraining at an early stage of their careers or as part of their lifelong trainingpart of their lifelong training

• Financing of their different career movesdifferent career moves, either geographically or between sectors

Joint efforts to: III. Joint efforts to: III. Increasing of fundingIncreasing of funding


FP7 2007 –2013/ FP7 2007 –2013/ Specific ProgrammesSpecific Programmes

+

Ideas – Frontier Research

Capacities – Research Capacity

People – Marie Curie Actions

Cooperation – Collaborative research

JRC (non-nuclear)

JRC (nuclear)

Euratom


Commission’s proposal (April 2005) for the overall FP7 2007-2013: increase budgetbudget from € 5 billion to >€ 7 billion per year

• In that frame, proposal to reinforce the «Marie Curie Actions» («People» Programme) substantially from €1,8 billion for 4 years to € 4.7 billion for 7 years

• Currently preparing a revision of the FP7 proposals in line with anticipated budgetary restrictions (following December 2005 European Councils position on the EU-budget)


FP7 “People” programmeFP7 “People” programme

• Still considerable reinforcementconsiderable reinforcement of the FP7 « Marie Curie Actions » expected

• «Marie Curie Actions» are expected to concentrate on:the structuring effectstructuring effect they have on research training, mobility and career development & strengthen links with national systems

• while they will also focus on: - reinforcing the involvement of enterprisesinvolvement of enterprises- strengthening the international dimensioninternational dimension


Marie Curie Actions in FP7Marie Curie Actions in FP7

Overall scope

– Human resource development in R&D in Europe

– Numerous, well-trained, mobile and motivated researchers

– Attract students to research careers

– Attract researchers to Europe and retain

– Skills and sustainable career development

– Continuity of previous Framework programme, with focus on structuring impact, while simplifying

– Appropriate gender balance


Action lines on:

– Initial trainingInitial training of researchers

– Life-long trainingLife-long training and career development

– Industry-academiaIndustry-academia pathways and partnerships

– International dimensionInternational dimension

– Specific actions for policy development


Which career options for Which career options for professional researchers?professional researchers?

Inter-sectoral mobilityInter-sectoral mobility for researchers at at all stagesall stages of their careers should become

a normal component of a researcher’s researcher’s career pathcareer path

Mobility not penalised

Career progression

Career appraisal


Knowledge sharing and exploitationKnowledge sharing and exploitation

Prepare researchers for career in both sectorscareer in both sectors

Employment (transferable, generic) skills = MUST

Incentives to increase entrepreneurship

Placements/internships in industry

Create a portfolio to empower researchers

Propose researchers CVs online to industry

Ad hoc training for supervisors and motive them


From where to start?From where to start?


Stefania BettiniStefania BettiniResearchers’ careerResearchers’ career

DG ResearchDG ResearchEuropean CommissionEuropean Commission

[email protected]

The European Researcher´s Mobility The European Researcher´s Mobility PortalPortal

http://europa.eu.int/eracareershttp://europa.eu.int/eracareers

Thank you for your attention!Thank you for your attention!

heidelberg, 08/06/06 career options day « researchers in europe: one profession, multiple careers...

Documents

careers of researchers

quantity of researchers

researchers risk

researchers food

welltrained researchers

career options day researchers

european charter

eu level slide