The European Union has set itself the goal of creating a more efficient and resilient European Research Area (ERA) in the coming years (see EUROPE 12571/9). Member States agreed on Friday 28 May that they would need to develop more attractive career paths for researchers in this respect.
Meeting at a Research Council, EU Ministers adopted conclusions recognising the need for “creating inclusive and supportive working and employment conditions” to “attract the best talents” and “excellent researchers from Europe and abroad”.
Circulation. These conclusions focus first and foremost on the mobility of researchers: they call on Member States to promote brain circulation to remedy the current imbalances.
According to Eurostat, in 2018, Italy and France, for example, accounted for only 16% of the EU’s scientists and engineers - lower than their share of the EU population (25%) - while Germany and the UK accounted for almost 40% of the EU’s scientists and engineers.
In this respect, the conclusions underline the need to invest in national and local research systems as well as to create appropriate and equitable working conditions for career development.
The Commission, for its part, is invited to take steps to ensure that the issue of unbalanced flow of researchers and brain circulation can be monitored at European level, for example by requiring comparable data between countries.
Career development. The conclusions also emphasise the need to increase the value of research work, without limiting it to certain areas in particular. More broadly, the emphasis is on the fact that researchers face many obstacles at the beginning of their careers.
Due to “lacking adequate guidance mechanisms and involvement of other sectors in their training and career development systems, which can result in a skills mismatch with the available jobs in the labour market”, says the EU Council.
It therefore suggests that States, research organisations and the business sector should work together better to create more diverse career paths, meet the expectations of doctoral graduates and reduce the skills mismatch.
With regard to the obstacles encountered at the beginning of their careers, the EU Council also admits, without going into detail, that women researchers “face additional specific barriers”.
No measures are proposed in this respect. However, the institution says it is “considering” setting up an observatory to monitor the trajectories of research careers, working conditions, geographical and sectoral mobility and the flow of doctorate and post-doctorate holders.
The European Commission, in cooperation with the Member States, is also encouraged to set up “a permanent, comprehensive and transparent monitoring system” of the labour market dynamics in the sector.
Academic freedom. Finally, the conclusions emphasise the importance of preserving and strengthening freedom in scientific research and research careers.
“Researchers are increasingly exposed to threats and hatred when they participate in debates, share their result and contribute to the advancement of knowledge”, the EU Council laments, echoing the Commission’s observation in its communication on the new ERA.
The conclusions therefore reiterate the call for Member States, research organisations and higher education institutions to address this problem.
To view the adopted text: https://bit.ly/3fMm2Dm (Original version in French by Agathe Cherki)