The Portuguese Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education, Manuel Heitor, told the press on Wednesday 3 February that the Portuguese Presidency of the EU Council hopes to achieve the adoption of Council conclusions by May which will set out the policies to be adopted in the EU “to improve and strengthen careers in the research sector”.
Mr Heitor was speaking at the end of an informal meeting of Research Ministers (see EUROPE 12649/14) attended by various experts and researchers, the European Commissioner for Innovation, Mariya Gabriel, and representatives of the Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the European Research Council.
“Career development is one of the essential conditions for the implementation of a stronger and more effective European Research Area (ERA)”, commented the Portuguese Minister.
Looking back on the day’s meeting, he indicated that three areas of action had particularly caught his attention and that of his counterparts.
First of all, the collection of data on the recruitment of researchers, the evolution of their careers and their mobility within and outside Europe. “The Commission and the national agencies could meet so that we can obtain more information [on these three issues] in a systematic way”, the Minister stressed.
Secondly, a broad consensus has reportedly emerged on the need to develop a new code of conduct for the recruitment of researchers. Such a code—aimed at making selection procedures fairer and more transparent—has been in place since 2005 and has been approved by more than 1,200 organisations. Ministers are considering a new version of this code to be drawn up in the coming year.
Finally, the third suggested avenue aims to strengthen associations between European universities, within the framework of Erasmus+, in order to encourage the exchange of good practices in the recruitment of researchers.
“In order to promote careers in research, it is important to strengthen the synergies between education, research and innovation”, the European Commissioner analysed, stressing the need to “convert the brain drain into brain circulation”.
The State Secretary to the German Research Minister, Thomas Rachel—whose country is part of the current three-Presidency team on the EU Council—in turn advocated greater mobility of researchers and international collaboration.
He also said the EU should improve transfer opportunities between university research and industry, “in order to insure attractive career pathways for excellent researchers and to enable businesses to benefit from highly qualified employees”.
All these avenues should therefore be explored by the Ministers with a view to the adoption of future conclusions. (Original version in French by Agathe Cherki)