The EU seeks to strengthen researchers’ skills and professional opportunities. A new Commission report on research careers explores the current situation.
In 2023, the European Commission adopted a proposal for a Council Recommendation on a European framework for research careers. The proposal was accompanied by a set of principles outlined in the European Charter for Researchers, to develop attractive research careers and strengthening R&I across Europe. An important element of this charter is improving working conditions for researchers. Following the adoption of the Council Recommendation, the Commission launched a Mutual Learning Exercise on Research Careers in January last year. Its objective is to facilitate the exchange of best practices for implementing the standards set out in the Council Recommendation. The Mutual Learning Exercise (MLE) on Research Careers has made “Skills and Intersectoral, Interdisciplinary, and Interoperable Careers” one of its key topics. The recently published Second thematic report highlights the MLE’s results.
Researchers acquire a variety of skills in the course of their careers, including project management, communication skills, teaching and supervision, leadership, copyright management and entrepreneurship. Yet, according to the thematic report, they “typically lag behind their colleagues in other sectors in terms of their skills awareness and development.” This is where the EU’s ResearchComp aims to play a transformative role. It is intended to serve as a tool to “assess and develop the transferable skills of researchers and promote career development”. At present, however, this framework is used by only one-fifth of MLE members at the national level. This was revealed by a survey conducted among the members and included in the report.
The survey also provides some insights into the current situation regarding the aim of promoting skills and supporting research careers. The survey reveals that most countries already offer training programmes for doctoral and post-doctoral researchers. By contrast, only half of the respondents indicated having mechanisms in place to support the development of transversal skills and lifelong learning for researchers in later career stages.
In addition to opportunities to develop a variety of skills, a research career should also be attractive through offering mobility. The term “intersectoral mobility” refers to the idea that researchers can transition between different sectors, such as moving from academia to industry, business, public administration, or the non-profit sector. While moving from academia to these sectors is quite common, the reverse is less frequent. Nevertheless, the report emphasises that intersectoral mobility should involve movement in both directions to ensure knowledge circulation. The EU aims to promote and support such permeability between the sectors.
MLE members reported existing mechanisms for enhancing collaboration and mobility between academic and non-academic sectors. These included, among others, support for hiring of academic researchers or internships for researchers at non-academic organisations, and collaborative doctoral programmes. However, a cultural change is needed to emphasise the value of intersectoral mobility among researchers and supervisors. As the report states, it is necessary to cultivate the awareness that a career outside of academia is not a second choice or a failure.
Open pathways between disciplines were also a key focus of this topic of the Mutual Learning Exercise on Research Careers. Interdisciplinary collaboration goes beyond the inclusion of multiple disciplinary perspectives (“multidisciplinarity”). “Interdisciplinarity” combines different disciplines into an integrated approach. The EU’s interest in promoting such an integrated approach extends beyond the aim of making research careers attractive. Addressing complex societal challenges requires research collaborations that cross disciplinary boundaries.
The idea that interdisciplinary research is essential for addressing societal challenges is gaining broader acceptance. Despite its importance, interdisciplinarity faces some challenges. As the report points out, researchers are often not trained to engage in interdisciplinary work, and academic institutions tend to focus on developing disciplinary expertise. Furthermore, the funding, management, and evaluation of interdisciplinary research are complex and resource-intensive.
The next topics on the agenda for the MLE on Research Careers include the conditions for attractive R&I systems and balanced talent circulation (Topic 3); and the policy and legal context for attractive research careers (Topic 4).