Stay informed with the latest updates and opportunities in the global research community. In this edition, we highlight the launch of the European ERA Talent Platform, insights from the Annual EU Research Report, opportunities for professional development, and much more. Dive in to explore upcoming events, new reports, and key initiatives shaping the future of research careers.

Happy reading!

European ERA Talent Platform Launch

The new European ERA Talent Platform was launched as a one-stop-shop platform for the research community on information and services with features as the EURAXESS, HR Excellence in Research, the EU Pension scheme RESAVER and the future Research Careers Observatory.  

What type of services you can access? 

• EURAXESS – allows you to post and search for job opportunities in research and academia, career development guidance, free tools. 

• HR Excellence in Research for both employers and researchers to understand how to apply for the HR Excellence Award and to see which organizations were awarded. 

• RESAVER Pension scheme – particularly for employers, interested to join the pan-European pension solution. 

Annual Report on EU Research and Technological Development

New report by the European Commission: Annual Report on EU Research and Technological Development Activities and Monitoring of Horizon Europe and Horizon 2020 in 2023 

This report provides an overview of the European Union key policies and funding in research and innovation. Researchers can also see the success rates of proposals submitted to Horizon Europe (HE), per programme, number of grants signed and the new countries that associated to HE, as New Zealand. 

The report is available in all EU languages here. 

Building a Research Culture in your Organisation

The Careers Research and Advisory Centre (CRAC) – Vitae commissioned by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), conducted a national state-of-the-art exercise with stakeholders consultation and mapping of practices in Research Culture. The exercise resulted in a Research Culture Framework that can be used employers, funders, and policymakers to support strategic planning on research culture.  Although it is a new term, the Royal Society defines as “behaviours, values, expectations, attitudes and norms of our research communities”, still much focused on the academic setting. The Framework identifies behaviours and values in the areas management and values of research, supporting and engaging people. 

For more information see the report Research Culture Initiatives in the UK and the Research Culture Framework.  

Opportunities

The International Network for Governmental Science Advice (INGSA) launched its call for mentors and mentees for the Science Advice Skills Development Program (SASDP) 2024-2025. 

Mentors can be researchers, policy-active scientists or policymaker in areas connected to climate change, as health, water, energy, food security. Mentoring will take place virtually for a 6-month period of African researchers on science advice. 
 
📅 Apply by July 15, 2024: https://lnkd.in/d_2T_5tq 

UNESCO International Literacy Prizes 

UNESCO launched its call for nominations for the 2024 edition of the UNESCO International Literacy Prizes, on the theme “Promoting multilingual education: Literacy for mutual understanding and peace”.  

The nomination process will take place via an online platform. An applicant can request access to the online application form through this link: https://unes.co/ilp-account.  

📅 The deadline for nominations is 19 July 2024. 

Events

ICoRSA’s conference titled Researcher Career Precarity in Portugal: Perspectives from EU Countries took place on January 12, 2024, in a hybrid format, co-organized by the Portuguese associations NInTec and ANICT. The physical conference was hosted by NInTec in Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisbon. 

The conference was dedicated to fostering discussions on researchers’ career frameworks and precarity in Portugal, with insightful examples drawn from experiences in Germany, Italy, and Spain. The conference counted with experts presenting data from OECD on research careers, national examples of tenure-track programmes implemented by these countries were presented, as well policy initiatives led by European Commission as the European framework for research careers.  

Research Precarity: 

• Defined by OECD as postdoctoral positions with no prospects of permanent employment, research precarity impacts well-being, mental health, and the overall attractiveness of research careers. 

• Germany and Portugal are among the top countries with a high number of fixed-term contracts in the OECD, necessitating sustainable solutions. 

Policy Instruments: 

• The European Commission has established guidelines to improve researchers' working conditions, promote inter-sectoral mobility, and address inequalities. 

• Recommendations include revising the definition of "researcher," incorporating research managers, and updating the European Charter for Researchers. Additionally, an observatory on Careers in Resarch and Innovation is being desegined by the European Commission and the OECD.  

Country-Specific Initiatives: 

Countries in Europe have implemented various policy instruments, such as tenure-track programs, to reduce the precarity of researchers. Key examples include Germany's six-year tenure-track program, which aims to transition researchers to permanent professorships with significant funding and support. Other countries, such as Italy and Spain, have implemented legal reforms focused on improving conditions for researchers on fixed-term contracts and facilitating transitions to tenure-track positions. However, some of these reforms were not accompanied by the necessary funding. 

Key recommendations from the workshop include promoting employee status for access to social benefits and improved working conditions for all researchers; HR practices that regularly assess researchers' working conditions and well-being, involving local associations/unions, and the importance of researchers’ involvement in associations/unions to promote discussions on careers and support from employers and funders to these associations. 

For more detailed insights and presentations from the conference, please visit ICoRSA Conference Resources​.  Read also the SECURE - Sustainable Careers for Researcher Empowerment project delieverable on state-of-the-art on tenure-track like programmes here. 

ICoRSA/IrishRSA Workshop on Strengthening Research Careers: Report, Recordings, and Presentations Now Available! 

The materials from our recent "Workshop on Strengthening Research Careers" are now available. This event, co-organized by our member association IrishRSA aimed at addressing how researchers can positively influence the development of sustainable research careers, within the recent approved European Framework for Research Careers. 

Access the Workshop Materials 

We are excited to share the following resources from the workshop: 

Full Report: A comprehensive summary of the discussions and key insights from the workshop. Download the report here. 

Recordings: Watch the full session the workshop here. 

Presentations: View the slides presented by our distinguished speakers here. 

 Key Messages from the Report 

The final summary report highlights several critical points discussed during the workshop. Here are some of the key messages: 

Career Development and Support: key challenges are the precarious nature of short-term project-based contracts and lack of employment benefits at different career levels. These challenges need to be addressed with long-term investment and structured career development programs and support systems for researchers at all stages of their careers. 

Policy Advocacy: The European Framework for Research Careers as a Council Recommendation is a non-binding legal instrument that requires the will of EU Member States for its effective implementation.  Research Staff associations and employers play a key role for its effective implementation. 

Eurodoc Conference 2024: Towards a United European Research Area – The Ljubljana Process and Beyond  

The Eurodoc Conference 2024, took place on June 4th and 5th in a hybrid format, with physical events hosted in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Organised by Eurodoc and the Young Academy of Slovenia (Društvo Mlada akademija, MA), the conference received support from the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation of Slovenia and the University of Ljubljana. 

The Conference addressed different conditions and prospects for Early Career Researchers in the European Research Area, as brain circulation imbalances within the EU, particularly between EU-13 and EU-14 member states. 

Objectives and Themes

Conditions and Prospects for Early Career Researchers in the European Research Area

The Eurodoc Conference 2024 provided a detailed examination of the current conditions and future prospects for Early Career Researchers (ECRs) within the European Research Area (ERA). This integration is critical for enhancing the skills and knowledge of individual researchers and for addressing regional disparities in research capabilities and resources.

Addressing Brain Circulation Imbalances

A significant topic at the conference was the existing imbalances in brain circulation within the EU, particularly between EU-13 and EU-14 member states. Brain circulation refers to the movement of researchers across borders, which can lead to the exchange of knowledge and skills that benefit both sending and receiving countries. However, disparities in economic development and research infrastructure can lead to one-way brain drain, where talent is lost from less developed regions to more developed ones.

See the key messages and more information about the conference here.  

UNESCO Global Consultation on the Draft Principles of Open Science Monitoring 

 UNESCO launched a worldwide consultation for common Principles of Open Science Monitoring that aims to facilitate broader engagement and ensure diverse perspectives are incorporated into a global vision for open science monitoring.  

 In the 2021 UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science countries agreed on a collective commitment to transparency, collaboration and inclusivity in the advancement of open science globally.  Following that Recommendation, UNESCO created the Open Science Monitoring Initiative (OSMI) formed by a group of open science experts aimed at supporting for stakeholders, such as national governments, research-performing organizations and international organizations engaged in scientific research, to set up their monitoring tools. 

OSMI developed a set of principles to regularly monitor and evaluate the impacts of open science policies, mechanisms, initiatives and incentives using a combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches and to develop strategies to monitor the effectiveness and long-term efficiency of open science which include a multistakeholder participatory approach. 

• All interested parties and stakeholders can contribute to this Draft proposal by November 30, 2024, via commentary and/or proposed edits, to be sent to [email protected]. 

For more detailed information on UNESCO Open Science Initiatives: 

• visit the OSMI’s website. 

• read UNESCO Open Science Outlook 1: Status and trends around the world. 

• Read the 2021 UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science.