European policies for researchers &
EURAXESS – Researchers in Motion
Ioannina, 23 February 2011
Outline presentation
A.
Policy frame - Researchers in the European Research Area: the
beginning
B.
Actions undertaken and results obtained so far:
EURAXESS – Researchers in Motion
A.
Policy frame - Researchers in the European Research Area NOW
A.
Policy frame – Researchers in the European Research Area
(ERA): the beginning
B.
Actions undertaken and results obtained:
EURAXESS – Researchers in Motion
A.
Policy frame - Researchers in the European Research Area NOW
The European Research Area (ERA)
In 2000, the EU decided to create the European Research Area (ERA).
This meant creating a unified area all across Europe, in which we
should:
◦
Enable researchers to move and interact seamlessly, benefit from worldclass infrastructures and work with excellent networks of research
institutions;
◦
Share, teach, value and use knowledge effectively for social, business and
policy purposes;
◦
Optimise and open European, national and regional research programmes in
order to support the best research throughout Europe and coordinate these
programmes to address major challenges together;
◦
Develop strong links with partners around the world so that Europe benefits
from the worldwide progress of knowledge, contributes to global development
and takes a leading role in international initiatives to solve global issues
Why researchers in the ERA
Challenges
Researchers are at the heart of knowledge creation,
transfer and exploitation: they are knowledge vectors.
Without them, no research.
Europe’s challenges on human resources in research:
•
•
•
•
Strong and rising competition, globally and with other economic
sectors
Demographic challenges in the form of a higher retirement rate for
researchers
Europe’s goal of increased public and private investments in R&D
Need to mainstream mobility, based on the paradigm of “brain
circulation”, between institutions, between sectors and across borders
EU has a deficit of researchers and therefore needs:
• To attract, train and retain an increasing number of talented people
undertaking the profession of researcher;
• To convince the EU public opinion and the EU Governments to
invest on researchers
A.
Policy frame – Researchers in the European Research Area
(ERA): the beginning
B.
Actions undertaken and results obtained:
EURAXESS – Researchers in Motion
C. Policy frame - Researchers in the European Research Area NOW
… the long way to EURAXESS
• Activities started around 2003 / 2004, but developed differently
• A study with Deloitte/TEP in 2007 proofed that the ERA-MORE
Network and the ERMPortal were not sufficiently known among the
researcher community
• Branding launch on 24 June 2008 under a new umbrella in
presence of former RTD Commissioner Potocnik
5th Anniversary of the European Researcher’s
Mobility Portal
& launch event of EURAXESS
24 June 2008, Brussels
EURAXESS – Researchers in Motion
EURAXESS – Researchers in Motion: 4 initiatives that, by
supporting the mobility and career of researchers, assist in
establishing Europe as an area of excellence in scientific research
3 reference pillars:
◦
◦
◦
Mobility issues
European dimension in research careers
Making Europe more attractive
EURAXESS – Researchers in Motion
4 activities
Recruitment tool with job vacancies, funding opportunities, grants,
employment, etc.
Relocation assistance for researchers and their family
Information on the Charter and Code (i.e. rights and obligations in the
research profession) and their implementation mechanism: the HRS4R
A networking tool for European researchers abroad
A.
Policy frame – Researchers in the European Research Area
(ERA): the beginning
B.
Actions undertaken and results obtained so far:
EURAXESS – Researchers in Motion
C. Researchers in the European Research Area NOW
1st milestone: May 28th 2008
Communication from the EC to the Council and the EU
Parliament:
Better careers and more mobility:
A EUROPEAN PARTNERSHIP FOR RESEARCHERS
(EPR)
The European Partnership for Researchers
◦
Decisive measures are needed for Europe’s researchers, and
progress should be made in a comprehensive and coordinated way
◦
Partnership = framework for MS to direct their efforts at national
level (National Action Plans) based on common, agreed objectives
in 4 key areas:
1.
Systematically open recruitment (specific ref. to EURAXESS Jobs and
Services);
2.
3.
4.
Meet social security and supplementary pension needs of mobile researchers
(specific ref. to EURAXESS Services); ;
Provide attractive employment and working conditions (EURAXESS Rights);
Enhance the training, skills and experience of researchers
• 3 year initiative building upon reforms and actions already underway
• Member States to set out national action plans (5 MS & 3 AC have
submitted NAPs)
• Commission helps in mutual learning, good practices and where
appropriate establishing common guidelines on specific issues
• European level action to support Member States in areas where
coordination and financial incentives advance progress;
• Monitoring and reporting on agreed indicators and evaluation after 3
years
EURAXESS and the EPR
1) EURAXESS Jobs
Ref. EPR/Axe 1 „Open
recruitment“/Proposed
priority action n° 2:
“MS and EC to ensure that all
publicly funded researchers'
positions are openly
advertised online, in
particular EURAXESS”
EURAXESS and the EPR
2) EURAXESS Services
Ref. EPR/Axe 1 „Open
recruitment“/Proposed
priority action n°3:
“MS and EC to ensure adequate
information and assistance
services for researchers
moving between institutions,
sectors and countries including
through EURAXESS “
Around 130,000 queries in 2010
EURAXESS and the EPR
3) EURAXESS Rights
Ref. EPR/Axe 3 „Attractive
employment and working
conditions“
i.e. leaning on the concrete
implementation of the Charter
and Code
◦
◦
Over 1,000 institutions from 30
European countries and beyond
have expressed their support to
C/C
42 already awarded the „HR
Excellence in Research” logo
(more in the pipeline)
2nd milestone: September 30th 2008
Council Conclusions on the European Partnership for
Researchers and the SGHRM Mandate
“…the "Human Resources and Mobility" Steering Group, the
mandate of which will have to be adapted, is the most
appropriate forum for conducting this partnership in a flexible
manner…"
3rd Milestone: Communication (2010) “Europe 2020 - A
strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth”
 Big Societal Challenges - Climate, Energy, Health, Security,
Resource Efficiency…
 Need an integrated and strategic approach
 7 Flagship Initiatives: Innovation Union, Agenda for New Skills and
Jobs, Digital Agenda, Youth on the Move, etc.
4th Milestone: Communication (2010) “Europe 2020
Flagship Initiative - Innovation Union”
 Innovation overarching policy objective
 Main obstacles: unfavorable framework conditions &
fragmentation of effort
The Innovation Union Commitment (1)
Over 30 Action Points (“Commitments”) proposing initiatives in
key areas, including:
 #1: By the end of 2011, MS should have strategies in
place to train enough researchers to meet their national
R&D targets and to promote attractive employment
conditions in public research institutions. Gender and dual
career considerations should be fully taken into account in
these strategies.
The Innovation Union Commitment (4)
 #4: Completing the ERA: In 2012, COM will propose an ERA
framework and supporting measures to remove obstacles to
mobility and cross-border cooperation (to be in force by
end 2014), addressing among others:
 quality of doctoral training, attractive employment
conditions and gender balance in research careers;
 mobility of researchers across countries and sectors,
including through open recruitment in public research
institutions and comparable research career structures
and by facilitating the creation of European supplementary
pension funds.
The Innovation Union Commitment (30)
 #30: By 2012, EU and MS to put into place integrated
policies:
 to ensure that leading academics, researchers and
innovators reside and work in Europe and
 to attract a sufficient number of highly skilled third
country nationals to stay in Europe.
That’s all, for now: stay tuned! 
http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess