The European Commission announced, on Thursday 13 July, that it had adopted a package of initiatives designed to promote attractive and sustainable careers for researchers in Europe and to deepen the European Research Area (ERA).
The package includes a proposal for an EU Council Recommendation establishing a new European framework for careers in research. This proposal includes a revision of the 2005 Charter for Researchers.
The Commission has also launched the first European Competence Framework for Researchers (ResearchComp) to support their cross-sectoral mobility. This initiative is also part of the European Year of Skills (see EUROPE 13144/19).
A European framework to enhance the sustainability and attractiveness of careers
The proposal for a recommendation on a “European framework to attract and retain research, innovation and entrepreneurial talents in Europe” focuses in particular on improving the recruitment and working conditions of researchers, stabilising their sometimes precarious careers and making careers in research more attractive, in particular by making greater use of permanent contracts.
The text also includes proposals for actions to support research careers and a proposal for the creation of a specialised observatory to monitor and evaluate these ambitions for European careers.
A platform for a European Competence Framework for Researchers
The ResearchComp initiative is a new tool for researchers, higher education institutes, employers and policy-makers. The proposal contributes to the objectives of the EU Council conclusions of 28 May 2021 on strengthening the European Research Area (see EUROPE 12729/3).
ResearchComp is linked to an online platform that should enable researchers to acquire or update the transversal skills needed to pursue a career in all sectors of society.
To this end, the new website linked to ResearchComp will support the development of doctoral training and offer targeted training opportunities.
The European Commission has announced that other tools to promote high-quality careers in research are being prepared, including an ERA ‘Talent Platform’ and a pilot project to test the principles of an investment strategy to support organisations in implementing the European careers framework and the revised charter.
The proposal will now be examined by the EU Council with a view to adoption.
Link to the proposed recommendation: https://aeur.eu/f/81t
Link to the ResearchComp website: https://aeur.eu/f/81u (Original version in French by Émilie Vanderhulst)