FECYT issues the “High level policy recommendations to foster researcher career development in Europe”

FECYT has coordinated the elaboration of the “High level policy recommendations to foster researcher career development in Europe” with the contribution of experts from university human resources departments, researchers associations, international organizations devoted to researcher career devel9opment and the EURAXESS network, among others. The document includes recommendations for the European Commission, member States, funding agencies, research performing organizations, EURAXESS and researchers themselves.

Among the recommendations, it´s worth mentioning those who suggest the European Commission and the member States to develop policy frameworks and funding strands to foster the development of researcher career development, together with monitoring progress and impact of the different initiatives. Also, it is necessary that research organizations develop research career development opportunities for researchers. Equally important, researchers shall take responsibility of their own training and development.

Also, it is recommended to review the current researcher evaluation systems, that are not acknowledging the competencies and skills of the modern researcher. The EURAXESS network is understood as a Pan-European network that can be a good channel among stakeholders and become a platform offering information, evidence and tools to support researcher career development.

Multidisciplinary training for researchers

Research in the 21st century has changed radically and there is a pushing need for researchers to incorporate skills into their training skills that go beyond the traditional scientific knowledge. Transferable skills (leadership, fund raising, team and project management, etc.) are vital to ensuring first line research, as well as sectorial mobility.

Research in the 21st century With this aim, FECYT –national coordinator of the pan-European initiative EURAXESS in support of researchers and partner of the European project PIEPRS- has organized in collaboration with British Council, the university of Durham and the University of Sofia two training workshops, one for research staff and another one for science managers coming from organizations of both the Spanish and Portuguese national R&D systems.

The recommendations have been issued in the framework of the project PIPERS (Policy into Practice: EURAXESS Researcher Skills for Career Development), an international project funded by the European Commission through the 7^th Framework Project that is coordinated by British Council.