Career options day Researchers in Europe one profession

Career options day « Researchers in Europe: one profession, multiple careers » Stefania Bettini Researchers’ career DG Research European Commission Heidelberg, 08/06/06

Research: a profession with 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, FP 7…) Heidelberg, 08/06/06

Current situation • European research needs sufficient, mobile and well-trained researchers • Without researchers, Europe will not be able to secure and expand its role in science, technology and innovation Heidelberg, 08/06/06

Main problems? Lack of attractiveness • Long and hard apprenticeship • Poor rewards and uncertain future, with short term postdoctoral appointments • Close, non transparent recruitment procedures Heidelberg, 08/06/06

Other problems… Administrative and legal obstacles still hamper Administrative and legal obstacles geographical and intersectoral mobility: Researchers risk losing advantages gained in the country of origin, such as: • career progress • pension and social security rights Heidelberg, 08/06/06

= the EU weakness (not the quantity or quality of Ph. D holders, but the quantity of researchers…) researchers Heidelberg, 08/06/06

The action-based answers at European level: an integrated European strategy for huma resources 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 up and on human resources requires: human resources 1. Developing genuine European career perspectives for researchers, researchers enhancing their status and attractiveness of this profession and status attractiveness related careers 2. Improving public recognition of researchers’ roles and contribution to public recognition society and citizens’ welfare as well as attracting more young people into researcher profession 3. Substantial increasing of funding for training, mobility and career funding development of researchers ( « Marie Curie actions » at EU level) Heidelberg, 08/06/06

Leitmotiv Ø Retention of researchers in Europe Ø The attractiveness of research careers = a European labour market for researchers Heidelberg, 08/06/06

Improving the position and careers of researchers in Europe requires joint efforts : • At European level • At Member State and regional level • As well as from industry, universities, research organisations and social partners Heidelberg, 08/06/06

Joint efforts to: I. Developing genuine European career perspectives and II. Improving public recognition • Improving the public recognition of researchers’ roles and public recognition contribution to society and citizens’ welfare • Attracting more young people into the researcher profession Attracting • But above all, foster the career development of researchers: foster 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 Heidelberg, 08/06/06

«Charter» = reference point for the career management of researchers as professionals, addressing both professionals researchers and employers/funders on minimum entitlements and obligations «Code of Conduct» = reference point for transparency and merit based recruitment, fair recognition of qualifications and mobility experiences Heidelberg, 08/06/06

Joint efforts to: Improving overall environment • Commission&Member States to remove obstacles to mobile remove obstacles researchers and making the environment more appealing for researchers in Europe (since 2001) • Structured information services and customised local assistance Structured information services customised local assistance throughout Europe: «The Researcher’s Mobility Portal» and «ERA-MORE» (since 2003 and 2004 respectively) • Launch of legal and administrative measures to better take into administrative measures account the specific needs of researchers ( « Researcher’s Visa » Directive adopted by Council October 2005) (but more progress is needed on social security and taxation related issues) social security and taxation Heidelberg, 08/06/06

Joint efforts to: III. Increasing of funding • Financing of researchers’ training at an early stage of training at an early stage their careers or as part of their lifelong training • Financing of their different career moves, moves either geographically or between sectors Heidelberg, 08/06/06

FP 7 2007 – 2013/ Specific Programmes Cooperation – Collaborative research Ideas – Frontier Research People – Marie Curie Actions Capacities – Research Capacity + JRC (non-nuclear) JRC (nuclear) Euratom Heidelberg, 08/06/06

Commission’s proposal (April 2005) for the overall FP 7 2007 -2013: increase budget from € 5 billion to >€ 7 billion per budget 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 FP 7 proposals in line with anticipated budgetary restrictions (following December 2005 European Councils position on the EU-budget) Heidelberg, 08/06/06

FP 7 “People” programme • Still considerable reinforcement of the FP 7 « Marie Curie considerable reinforcement Actions » expected • «Marie Curie Actions» are expected to concentrate on: the structuring effect they have on research training, mobility structuring effect and career development & strengthen links with national systems • while they will also focus on: - reinforcing the involvement of enterprises - strengthening the international dimension Heidelberg, 08/06/06

Marie Curie Actions in FP 7 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 Heidelberg, 08/06/06

Action lines on: – Initial training of researchers Initial training – Life-long training and career development Life-long training – Industry-academia pathways and partnerships Industry-academia – International dimension – Specific actions for policy development Heidelberg, 08/06/06

Which career options for professional researchers? Inter-sectoral mobility for researchers at mobility all stages of their careers should become all stages a normal component of a researcher’s career path Mobility not penalised Ø Ø Ø Career progression Career appraisal Heidelberg, 08/06/06

Knowledge sharing and exploitation Prepare researchers for career in both sectors ü Employment (transferable, generic) skills = MUST ü Incentives to increase entrepreneurship ü Placements/internships in industry ü Create a portfolio to empower researchers ü Propose researchers CVs online to industry ü Ad hoc training for supervisors and motive them Heidelberg, 08/06/06

From where to start? Heidelberg, 08/06/06

Thank you for your attention! Stefania Bettini Researchers’ career DG Research European Commission stefania. bettini@ec. eu. int The European Researcher´s Mobility Portal http: //europa. eu. int/eracareers Heidelberg, 08/06/06